Legend of the Four Masters
by brown phantom
Summary: Two martial artists, an Amazon, and a gentle soul get thrown out of their daily lives and into a century-long war in a new land. With no easy way home, strange and dangerous enemies after them, and a culture both familiar and alien to them, what can they do in a world they don't belong in? What will they do when they're asked to help end a fight that was never theirs to begin with.
1. Ticket to a New World

_Credit for starting this story goes to Tellemicus Sundance._

****Legends of the Four Masters  
****__#01—Ticket to a New World__

It was a relatively unnatural evening that descended upon Nerima, quiet with no screams of angry women chasing a panty-thief or rage from rivals who'd come seeking vengeance. No crashes of destruction as private, public, and government properties were smashed by bare fists or blunt weapons. And especially no grunts and whacks of exertion as Ranma and his father trained out in the backyard for their ritualistic evening spar. The city seemed to almost sigh in relief as it took full advantage of the change in routine.

For Kasumi Tendo, it was such a rare and fleeting peace that she couldn't help but relish in it once it was there. And to make it better, she had no chores to do at the moment. Dinner hadn't been started yet, but that could wait, and if she was lucky maybe just maybe she wouldn't have to make it tonight. But at the same time she couldn't help but wonder one thing.

'If Ranma's not here, then where is he?'

She paused for a moment, and because she had no answer her mind went somewhere else, while trying to stay on the same topic. 'If I asked that out loud, I think I know exactly what everyone here would say. His father would accuse him of trying to weasel out of something while his mother would either hope or insist that her son was doing something 'manly'. Father might not react at all, but if he did he'd surely cry about how Ranma wasn't trying to 'express his love' for Akane. And she'd immediately assume that Ranma was doing something he had to be punished for.'

At that she suppressed a sigh. 'I must remember that Akane has gotten better since the failed wedding. She at least doesn't hit anymore without proof that he did something wrong. And he's gotten better at not putting his foot in his mouth. Before the wedding she'd just say he was guilty and he'd insult her for being so judgmental and she'd hit him like a baseball, so one-dimensional. Like everyone here, even me.'

It was weird, despite the fact that Ranma and Akane were the ones resisting personal change, out of everyone they were the only ones actually changing at all. Everyone else behaved like they didn't have to change at all, yet put pressure on the youngest two so they'd change in a specific way. Naturally the two had resisted, but they had undeniably matured some over the past year. Just not as much as everyone had hoped.

'Never mind all that. Maybe now while I have time I can watch some more of that show.' The eldest female member of the Tendo family thought, heading up to her room to get something she had stored up there. It was a dvd set she had on loan from a friend, a rather curious foreign cartoon that had been very popular while it originally ran and still was greatly enjoyed. It was described as about a bald kid with a blue arrow tattoo, who could also use the wind to fight, trying to save the world from an invading army of fire-controlling soldiers.

'Certainly a show meant for children, but I must admit that it does hold a certain charm that makes it interesting even for adults. Plus the ambiguous references to Japanese and Chinese cultures are nice cute touches. All in all, a really good show I'm glad I was talked into giving a try.' Kasumi thought as she picked up the box set. 'Season two, hopefully I can finish it soon and move onto the third and final season.'

Looking forward to her little 'me time', a rarity for the housekeeper, she went back downstairs, passing an annoyed Akane entering the house. "Hello Akane. Were you able to find Ranma?"

The younger girl huffed. "Yeah, and he's going to regret that I did for a while."

"What do you mean?" Kasumi asked, hoping her sister wasn't sliding back into old habits.

"I saw him at Ukyo's acting like he always does." Akane said, sounding annoyed but not enraged.

The older sister normally would not say or do anything other than attempt to console the younger sister. It was her natural instinct to comfort first and ask questions later if at all. But that was she always did, and Kasumi didn't want to be one-dimensional or only capable of having one reaction to a situation. She wanted, she needed, to try something else. And so she would.

"Akane, Ranma has so few friends as it is." Kasumi carefully started. "Like you sometimes he just needs to be with a friend."

"And I'm not good enough for when he needs that?" Akane asked, sounding a bit jilted.

"Sometimes you just both need some time and space away from each other. That's normal Akane. Loving someone doesn't mean you need to be with them all the time. If anything that's not love, that's smothering. Sometimes you need time away from Ranma and he needs time away from you. It doesn't mean he's cheating on you, he just needs some private time. Sometimes we all do."

Deep down Akane knew this was true and couldn't fault Ranma for that. The only thing that really bothered her was that she had seen him with Ukyo. Ukyo was always one of several people that made Akane feel inadequate about herself, and knowing that Ranma wanted to spend some time with the chef rather than her just hurt a lot.

"I know that Kasumi, but why did he have to be with her? He knows how I feel about her and Shampoo and Kodachi and pretty much any girl that comes on to him."

"Akane, what is it you expect Ranma to do regarding Ukyo? Do you want him to kick his best friend out of his life entirely just to make you happy?" Kasumi asked.

"No." Akane admitted, not wanting to be cruel.

"So what do you want Ranma to do? Akane, please know what you want him to do before you get mad at him for not doing it."

"No offense Kasumi, but maybe you're not the one I should be talking to." The tomboy said, surprising the housekeeper as she had never been told her advice was unwanted. "You've never had a relationship before, not even an arranged or failed one, so you may not know what you're talking about here."

Now Kasumi was feeling a bit jilted, offended even. Sure her sister was right, she wasn't speaking from experience and therefore might not be the most knowledgeable person regarding relationship problems. But Kasumi felt she had given good advice, downright reasonable advice even, and Akane was brushing it off because... because...

The older girl suppressed a sigh. "Alright then Akane, if that's how you feel." She said, then walked away, hoping her sister would take this to heart despite whatever reason Akane had not to..

"Kasumi, when's dinner?" Soun called out as soon as Kasumi even touched the sofa in the living room.

It took a lot of effort for her to not groan at having someone request something of her at a time she didn't want to be bothered. 'Just once can't he make his own food?' She asked herself, knowing it was a moot point as she couldn't expect everyone in the house to do that and she'd feel terrible for making someone else like Nodoka or Akane cook simply because she wanted to be lazy for a few hours.

"I'll get right on it Father." She called back out, putting the dvd set by the tv. 'Later, when everyone else is asleep.'

* * *

Later would turn out to be three hours later after dinner and when everyone was settling in to either sleep or relax until they fell asleep. And in that time Ranma never showed up. Nevertheless, Kasumi finally got her chance to watch her show, and when she did she saw something other than Ranma had appeared at the house.

"Oh, hello there P-chan." She said, picking up Akane's little wandering black piglet who happened to show up, likely searching for Akane. "Well, I'm sure you can find your way to Akane's room. You should be able to track the scent by now." The piglet blinked, strangely looking as if it just had a moment of realization. Almost like it was completely unaware it could track something by scent. Kasumi was certain that was just her imagination though, and set the animal down before getting the show on.

"Finally." She said with relief, using the remote to find the last episode she had seen. That one had been one of her favorites, where the group of heroes had gained a new ally, a blind girl who could control the earth around her. After that she watched a new episode, one where one of the antagonists, a fire-using boy with a painful past, was given his own chance to be a hero only to receive hatred simply because he was a fire-user.

"Poor boy, people only see what they don't like in him." Kasumi said with empathy. "I wonder if he's going to end up becoming one of the good guys. That would be interesting."

P-chan made a noise of some sort, almost like he was trying to express an opinion too but couldn't. Kasumi glanced at the piglet. "Oh, I didn't know you were still here. Are you waiting for Akane? Or are you interested in the show too?" She asked jokingly, and this time the animal didn't reply.

The episode ended and when the credits started the front door opened. Kasumi turned without leaving the sofa to see who had shown up. As expected, it was Ranma, looking a bit downhearted, filthy, and female.

"Hello, Ranma." Kasumi greeted. "What took you so long?"

Ranma looked like she was trying to avoid answering the question, but a few seconds later the redhead just sighed in exhaustion. Kasumi took that as meaning that she didn't want to talk about it. "Would it be alright if I took a bath before answering?" Ranma asked, kicking off her shoes.

Kasumi nodded and Ranma headed to the furo. Now that she was here, Kasumi headed quickly into the kitchen to put the dinner leftovers she'd saved for him into the microwave. Once done, she hurried back to the television to watch the cartoon again, only faintly annoyed by the distraction. By the time that Ranma had finished his bath and changed into a fresh pair of clothes, she was on another episode that focused on the main cast again.

"What'cha watching?" Ranma asked absentmindedly, now a boy again as he headed to where the pleasant smells of reheated dinner were coming from.

"Some American cartoon that a friend suggested. It's much better than I anticipated." Kasumi answered, giggling quietly at one of the funny remarks the dark-skinned boy in blue clothes made. He was always making sarcastic jokes that were very funny and he was the only one there who couldn't control the elements, but he was often the most clever of the group.

"Like an anime?" Ranma asked, walking to the room with his plate of food, but keeping his distance as if he needed permission to get any closer to Kasumi.

"Sort of. Come and watch. It's got a lot of martial arts here." She said, knowing that was all he needed to hear to take an interest in it.

Now with permission, Ranma took a seat nearby to watch as he ate his dinner. It wasn't long, Kasumi noticed, before he was equally enthralled at the show. But, knowing him, it had nothing to do with the plot or characters or even humor. He was probably just observing the fighting styles, the various air, earth, fire, and water attacks that were being done, and trying to decide if it'd be worth his time to experiment with them later. Odds were he wasn't even paying attention to what the characters looked like, just their fighting styles.

"That's Baguazhang, with some Xingyiquan." The martial arts enthusiast noted, eyes glued to the screen. "Northern Shaolin Kung Fu for those fire dudes. And the Yang style of T'ai Chi Ch'uan for the water girl. Those are Chinese martial arts!"

"Oh?" Kasumi asked, not at all surprised that he figured which styles were being used. Nearby, P-chan grunted almost in derision.

"Yeah, a bit altered to suit this show, but I can see where the creators got their ideas from. Gotta say drawing inspiration from real arts instead of just making them up is a good idea." He commented. "Could you restart it? I missed a lot because I wasn't really paying attention until the fight scenes."

Kasumi smiled. "Sure, it was a good episode so I don't mind." Using the remote she rewound the episode and let it play again.

"Airen?" A familiar voice called from outside a few minutes later, catching all three beings' attentions as the purple-haired Chinese Amazon known as Shampoo came walking in, uninvited as per the norm.

"What'cha want, Shampoo?" Ranma asked, reflexively standing up in preparation to flee or fight as the situation needed. Kasumi paused the dvd too in case things got out of hand. However, as the girl came into view, it seemed pretty obvious that she wasn't here to cause trouble again. Her face was downcast and slightly remorseful, a stark contrast to her usual bubbly good cheer.

"Shampoo come to say sorry." Shampoo said looking up at Ranma pleadingly. "Sorry for almost destroying this home some time ago."

"Hold on, you brought explosives here knowing that there would be people here, and all you can say is you're sorry?" He asked, not sure how to feel right now. Part of him wanted to be angry, but he had a hard time being angry after someone admitted they had done something wrong. The exception being his father of course.

"Easy now Ranma, I'm sure she's honestly regretful of that." Kasumi the eternal optimist said to the pigtailed boy.

Shampoo nodded. "Shampoo not know why act that way. There gap in memory, one moment Shampoo just working and next Shampoo wanting to hurt someone. No idea where bombs come from."

"You expect me to believe something was making you do that?" Ranma asked, skeptical.

"Calm down Ranma, you know such a thing isn't impossible. Remember that oni?" Kasumi said.

"Oh yeah, there's no forgetting that little creep." Ranma muttered, seeing the housekeeper's point. 'Does this mean something or someone, like a certain shriveled up old woman, made Shampoo act like a psycho that afternoon? But then, what was Shampoo doing that day that made the old ghoul do such a thing?'

"Well thank you for coming and apologizing Shampoo." Kasumi said gratefully to the Chinese girl. "I can't speak for everyone, but I'm glad you showed such courtesy." She then looked somewhat pointedly at Ranma. "Right, Ranma?"

Figuratively caught between a rock and hard place, Ranma just put on a slightly strained grin. "Yeah, I suppose it's no problem. Besides, in a weird way you kind of did me a favor. But... never mind, it's not the worst thing that's happened to me so I'm not going to act like it was." Now his strained grin had morphed into one of relief.

Shampoo instantly lit up like a Christmas tree, jumping up and hugging Ranma despite his protests. After a moment, Shampoo restrained herself and drew back, her hands drifting into her pockets. When she did this, her eyes suddenly lit up again as though she were just remembering something. "Airen? Shampoo have more than just apology. Brought something for you."

"What is it?" Ranma asked, trying and failing to not show his sudden unease. It was a proven fact that whenever Shampoo came to him with gifts, they almost always turned out to be cursed magical items that caused great big headaches for him and everyone else involved. Even Kasumi felt herself tense up as the realization hit her a few short moments after Ranma and P-chan.

Either ignoring or not noticing her beloved's sudden unease, Shampoo extracted something small, shiny, and golden from her pocket and held it out triumphantly. "This is Universal Golden Ticket!"

All she got from her audience was a series of blank-faced stares. It took her only a few seconds to realize none of them had ever heard of her item before, causing her to groan in annoyance. Didn't they notice or hear about __anything __that wasn't related to martial arts?

After a moment to recollect herself, she held out the ticket for Ranma to examine. "It special movie ticket that let five people watch any movie anywhere for free!"

"How is this different than a normal ticket bought in advance?" Kasumi couldn't help asking.

"No like normal ticket. This one special." Shampoo quickly answered, shaking her head in response. "Because it work at __any __theater __anywhere __in world! All that needed done to activate is to break into two."

"Activate it?" Ranma asked cautiously, holding the ticket with exceeding carefulness in case it might somehow negatively affect him. "What's that mean? And why is it written in English?"

"In order to get into movie without paying, silly," Shampoo laughed lightly at Ranma's almost fearful handling of said ticket. "And Shampoo told made in America."

"I think she's saying it's just a broad spectrum movie ticket Ranma." Kasumi stated. "Where'd you get it Shampoo?"

"And how do you know how it works?" Ranma asked, trying to read the English. He wasn't that good at it, but he could make out a few words. It was natural that he was this concerned. Since when had magic ever been anything but trouble for him? He was 100% sure that if there was some magic linked to this seemingly harmless movie ticket, it was some kind of unknown and dangerous curse. That's how it __always __worked with him.

"Great-grandmother got it, say give to Airen to use as peace offering. Thought Airen would like some normal fun for a bit. No idea where Great-grandmother got it." Shampoo answered.

"Can I see it for a moment?" Kasumi asked, and of course she was handed the ticket. Fortunately she could read the English better than Ranma could. "Universal Golden Ticket. The experience of a lifetime. A chance to truly experience cinema like you never thought possible. Admission is limited to five people. Tear ticket in half in presence of movie to get result."

"Wait, it sounds like the ticket only works if you're already inside the theater." Ranma noted.

"It say that?" Shampoo asked. "Great-grandmother no tell me that. What point of ticket if you already pay to see movie?"

"I would say it might be fake, but if it came from the old ghoul that's not likely." Ranma noted. As shrewd as Cologne was, she was usually an honest person. The only time she ever had lied to Ranma was when she was motivating him to learn the Amaguriken and had a piece of candy on her person instead of the antidote he needed for the Cats Tongue.

Then something else came to him from his memory. "Wait, she did give you that reverse jewel once. Maybe this is a trick too."

Shampoo shook her head. "No, she not know I choose that broach. She learn after I already effected by it, and stay silent to test Airen. She no lie about anything, and she would no lie about this."

"It seems to me that the only way to see what the ticket actually does is to test it." Kasumi recommended. "Why don't the two of you go to a theater together and see if it does anything?"

"Together?" Ranma asked, clearly seeing the problem of going anywhere alone with Shampoo.

Kasumi nodded. "Of course. This way you both know what happens. And because it says up to five you can take Akane with you. I'd like to go too, to see what this does. And see a movie if it works. It's been so long since I've seen any movie. I'd certainly appreciate a chance to do something out of the house, even one as odd as this."

"That might be best idea." Shampoo said, a little annoyed at Ranma's paranoia but understanding his concern given what was being asked of him. "We test it. This is 'I-am-sorry' gift to Airen, Shampoo no want hurt Airen when trying to say sorry."

'I get the feeling she's trying to get me to date her, but she sounds really sincere and Shampoo's always tried the direct approach in that. If she wanted a date she's just ask for it, not try this way.' He thought, wondering how this would be like other times.

After a few moments, Ranma took a deep breath and visible forced his paranoia down. Though Shampoo had been no end of headaches ever since he'd first fought her on that log in China, she had never been anything less than honest in her intentions and actions. He'd give her the benefit of the doubt this time.

Kasumi smiled. "Good, then we'll tell Akane tomorrow and decide on a movie together. It will be fun."

"Yeah, it would be fun if it actually works. And if Akane's willing to go along with it." Ranma replied. 'A chance to see a movie for free. A nice way to get a break from all the fights and maybe get Akane to have a good night too.'

"And if she not?" Shampoo asked curiously.

Ranma hesitated to answer this, fearing that he might encourage something he shouldn't. "Well, no reason to let it go to waste if it works."

All the while, P-chan stood close by the heels of the housekeeper, big eyes locked almost hungrily upon the ticket. Once Kasumi handed the ticket back to Ranma, the piglet suddenly took a powerful jump upwards, aiming for the ticket. The sudden attack caught all of them by surprise, but Ranma was still able to keep his grip on the ticket as the piglet bit down on it.

"Hey! Leggo bacon breath!"

The two of them fought over the ticket for a brief moment. Well, Ranma began flailing the ticket and piglet in the air with loud yells of anger at it while P-chan was trying to wrench it out of Ranma's grasp. Something had to give… and something did.

The ticket got ripped into even halves clear down the center. The flailing Ranma had been doing sent P-chan flying through the air, where the piglet landed with surprising ease on the floor beside the television.

"Why you little...!" Ranma was panting furiously, his fists clenching tightly in his anger as he began advancing on the animal. "I'm gonna make __pork chops __of you_!_"

"This might not be good." Kasumi said, bending to the floor to grab one of the ticket halves, the other one still in P-chan's mouth.

The ensuing fight between Ranma and P-chan was suddenly cut off as they noticed something strange happening. Two bright points of blinding golden light lit up, one from the ticket clenched in Kasumi's hand and the other clenched in P-chan's mouth. Before any of them could do anything more than stare in surprise, a blinding golden void suddenly filled the air around them. When the blinding light vanished only a split-second later, so had the four of them.

All that was left was now the tv, with static in place of the paused episode.


	2. The Arrival

****Legends of the Four Masters  
****__#02—The Arrival__

The sun had long since finished setting, casting its last golden rays over the horizon as it dipped ever lower behind the mountains. Now the blues, purples, and blacks of night were firmly coloring the skies above. All was quiet and peaceful in the dry riverbed that the small group of teenagers had chosen as their campsite. The two Water Tribe siblings were tucked away in their shared tent. The little Earth Kingdom heiress was nestled comfortably in her bed of dirt and tent of stone. And the Air Nomad was lying upon his beloved sky bison's foreleg, with his flying lemur companion settling down for the night beside him.

That was when the silence of the night was disrupted.

Thanks to her unique Earthbending talents and deep awareness of the earth, Toph Bei Fong was the first to notice the approach of something large, heavy, and incredibly fast.

"There's something coming towards us!" She shouted, climbing out of her earth tent and running over towards her companions.

"What is it?" Aang asked, sitting up from Appa's leg as the siblings stuck their heads out of the tent. But even as he said it, he too felt something rushing towards them. The sheer magnitude of it caused him to stumble slightly as his eyes widened. "Yeah, you're right."

Crouching down and placing her hand on the earth to get a better feel of the thing, Toph explained it as best she could. "It feels like an avalanche but… also not an avalanche."

"Are you sure that's what you feel?" Aang couldn't help asking. What he felt coming seemed more like a stampede of ostrich-horses to his spiritual senses, which felt incredibly odd even to him.

"Your powers of perception are __frightening.__" Sokka said, his sleepiness making him somewhat more irritably sarcastic than normal.

"Should we leave?" Katara asked.

"Better safe than sorry." Aang said, his unease at his strange sense starting to worry him. Even if Toph didn't know what was coming towards them, he felt the odds of it being something to do with the Fire Nation were pretty high.

As the group was quickly packing up the small amount of materials used in their campsite, something happened. A sudden blinding flash of golden light lit up the clearing around them, causing Aang, Katara, and Sokka to recoil in surprise and slight pain as the light hit their eyes. Only Toph was spared that pain, ironically thanks to her natural blindness. However, she was also the first one to notice when four bodies suddenly landed upon the ground in graceless heaps.

"What's going on? Who's there?!" Toph demanded, assuming a basic defensive stance as she turned towards where the strangers had landed.

That was when the three who could see looked to the newcomers. The saw two boys and two girls just like their own group, only this group appeared older and very oddly dressed. Except one, there was a boy who was completely naked except for a yellow bandanna.

Katara turned red and looked like she was about to throw up. "Why is that guy naked? Someone get rid of him!" She pleaded loudly, covering her eyes.

"You got it Katara." Aang said, glad to help the girl he was rather fond of. Swinging his staff, he created a large gust of wind aimed directly at the nude boy and it blew him away like a golf ball, to land anywhere but here,

The air attack made the remaining male jump to his feet and take a stance. "Who are you? How did we get here?"

"Wait, do you have a girl's hairstyle?" Sokka asked, trying not to laugh.

"Sokka!" Katara chastised her brother.

"What? He's got a pigtail. Have you seen anyone who wasn't a girl with that hairstyle?" He defended.

"Big talk from a guy with a ponytail." Ranma taunted back.

"Hey! This is a warrior's wolftail!" Sokka shouted, pointing to his own hair.

"I don't believe it. This can't be true." One of the new girls, the oldest looking one who was wearing a dress of some kind, said as her eyes were locked on the four members of the Avatar group.

Toph tensed. "Guys, that avalanche thing, it's getting closer."

"Then we should go." Sokka stated.

"What about them?" Aang asked, pointing to the three remaining strangers.

"For all we know they're just here to slow us down for the main force." The Water Tribe boy insisted, trying to get back into the bison's saddle.

"RANMA!" Someone shouted from the forest, and everyone turned to see it was the boy Aang had blown away, somehow wearing clothes this time as if he had pulled them out of thin air. He looked ready to punch someone in the face, and he had his eyes right on the other boy that had appeared here with him. "YOU'RE SO DEAD!"

With that he charged right at the pigtailed boy, who jumped out of the way, forcing the bandanna boy to hit a tree and make it snap and collapse.

"Holy pig-cow!" Sokka almost shouted. "How can a guy break a tree with just his fist?"

"What the hell is your problem Ryoga?" The boy who nearly had gotten hit by that punch yelled.

"YOU WERE WILLING TO CHEAT ON AKANE! YOU MUST SUFFER!" The now-named Ryoga roared, charging again at the now-named Ranma despite the audience. Though Toph couldn't see them, she could easily track them through their stamping feet and heavy stances as they clashed with one another in a positively ferocious yet completely devoid of bending fistfight.

"Where are we? What's going on?" The final member of the new group, a girl with long purple hair, asked, looking around her surroundings and knowing she wasn't in Nerima anymore. She and the older girl backed away from the fight closer to the Avatar group, with the older girl still looking at the younger teens like they were ghosts.

"That's what we want to know!" Sokka demanded loudly as he quickly scowled at the two women, his machete already raised threateningly. "Who are you guys?! Fire Nation?!"

Before the oldest one could answer, the purple-haired one instantly jumped up and slid forward to meet their potential attacker, drawing a club of some kind from somewhere. With one almost casual swing, she sent the machete flying from Sokka's hands. With another casual smack, she slammed the club into his stomach and sent him flying backwards where he mercifully landed in the soft, fuzzy mattress that was Appa.

"Hey, come on, everyone, stop fighting!" Aang yelled, trying to restore peace and order.

"PREPARE TO DIE, SAOTOME!" The second boy yelled, dropping his fist to the ground where he landed a powerful single-fingered jab. "BAKUSAI TENKETSU!"

Much to Toph's shock, the land just in front of him literally exploded into a deadly spray of shrapnel and rocks. Predicting the angle of which the rock shards were flying, Toph quickly stomped her foot and raised her arms up, forming a wall of rock in front of her and the collective group shielding them all from the debris.

"I don't believe it. We really are here." The dress-wearing woman said in shock, having witnessed the entire event with wide eyes as she raised a dainty hand to her face. Though Toph couldn't see it, the woman's eyes held a look of recognition.

"EVERYONE, STOP FIGHTING!" Aang yelled, bringing his staff down and launching a powerful wind strike that forced the two fighting boys apart. Holding out his staff in a threatening manner, Aang glared at the two when he saw that he finally had their attentions. "THAT'S ENOUGH!"

"Don't get involved, baldy!" Ryoga snapped, not lowering his aggressive stance in the least. "You shouldn't interfere in a man-to-man fight!"

"Tell that to whoever's showing up now." Toph warned, able to focus on the seismic tremors from before again now that Ryoga and Ranma weren't drowning them out. The avalanche that wasn't an avalanche couldn't be felt anymore, but three large animals were coming instead, very closely and judging from the coordination of their steps they were mounts, carrying people towards them.

As Toph predicted, three people showed up and they were indeed riding animals. Animals that looked like a cross between weasels and lizards. The riders themselves were three teenaged girls, two wearing dark red outfits and the third wearing a pink one that exposed her midriff. The girl in the center had a slight sneer of triumph on her face.

"Well, isn't this interesting?" The center girl said, her voice cultured and somewhat jovial, but mocking and sinister too. "Here we are, out for a bit of night hunting and we find a pretty light show and some circus freaks to go with it."

"What the heck are those things?" Ranma asked, looking at the mongoose-dragons the girls were riding.

"Why did it have to be you of all people showing up?" Aang said as everyone in his group got ready to fight. Toph was unsure how bad this person was, but she could tell easily that this newcomer was about as far from friendly as you could get given her group's reaction.

"Ranma, Ryoga, stop fighting! We have to get out of here! Now!" Kasumi called out in a panic, sounding genuinely afraid of the situation.

Fear coming from Kasumi would make anyone know something had to be done. So Ranma turned to the girls in red. "Whoever you are, you should leave. I don't think you're welcome here."

The girl in the center of the trio frowned indignantly. "Worthless peon, do you know who you're speaking to?"

"Nope and I don't see why it would matter if I did." He replied.

"I am Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation. __No one __gives __me __orders!"

To further accentuate her point, the Fire Nation princess thrust out a fist which launched a large wave of blue fire at the one who'd dared speak to __her __like she wasn't royalty. The fire wave caused both Ranma and Ryoga to dodge and jump away to safety. In the split second of time they did that, Azula had jumped out of her saddle and launched another powerful blast of fire towards the center of the group, using a kick in the air to do so.

In a flash, Ranma sprinted across the gap between them in a burst of raw speed that only Toph or Aang could vaguely track. He came to a skidding halt in front of the girls that had arrived with him, looking like he was trying to defend them. "Shampoo, can you fend her off?" He requested.

The purple-haired girl nodded and armed herself with two chui. "Yes Airen."

"No Ranma, Shampoo, that is a bad idea. You can't fight her off now." Kasumi warned.

"At least one of you has sense." Azula said smugly. "You can be the first to burn then." She then crouched low and sprung at the housekeeper, sending more blue fire directly at Kasumi who shrieked.

Right away Ranma grabbed her and pulled her away from the cyan flames. "You okay Kasumi?" She nodded, looking too frightened to speak. He then glared at Azula like she was a monster. "No one attacks Kasumi, you hear?!"

"I told you boy, _no one_ tells me what I can and can't do!" Azula sneered.

"Should we do something?" Katara asked as everyone watched when Azula started attacking again. "I doubt these new guys are Fire Nation now."

"That doesn't mean they're our friends." Sokka countered, pulling his sister into the saddle while Appa backed away, not yet commanded to depart. Aang and Toph stayed on the ground, Aang to get a better understanding of the situation and Toph so she could still tell what was going on.

Azula lunged at Ranma, boots on fire and looking like she was trying to kick any part of his body that could burn on contact. Ranma dodged again, easily reading her moves, and dashed up to the girl in a burst of speed. She had virtually no defense in her fighting style, so he took advantage of the opportunity and threw out an attack of his own, a powerful uppercut into the princess's abdomen.

The sheer power of the blow sent her flying up and back, far over the mongoose-dragon she'd just been riding, much to the great shock of the Avatar's group who were barely able to keep up with the faint flickers of movement he'd left in his trail.

"I told you no one attacks Kasumi!" The pigtailed boy shouted at her as she came crashing down to the earth.

Then, in a much slower burst of speed, Ryoga was upon him from behind. "Don't turn your back on me Ranma!"

Skipping to the side, Ranma easily evaded his slower opponent, dancing out and around the boy as he dodged his wild and angry punches. "You're really starting to get on my nerves now Ryoga!"

"And what are you going to do about it coward?" The lost boy argued, continuing his ongoing assault but unable to hit his eternal rival.

Despite herself, Toph couldn't help but notice something a little strange. The boy who was dodging was doing so in a rather peculiar manner. He was clearly the faster of the two and was leading his anger-blinded opponent by the nose, but he was doing so by traveling in an ever-tightening circle. '_No_,' she realized, '_Not a circle, a spiral. What's he up to?_'

No sooner had that question passed her mind than did it get answered. Upon reaching the centermost point of the spiral, Ranma launched a powerful uppercut into Ryoga's stomach. As he did so, a sudden powerful gust of wind shot to life around him, launching Ryoga high into the air as a literal tornado formed from Ranma's fist. "Hiryou Shouten Ha!"

As the tornado died down, sending Ryoga crashing into the forest yet again, the Avatar group and the three Fire Nation girls all openly gawked at Ranma.

"That's... that's impossible." Katara said. "There's actually another Airbender around?"

"It can't be. Someone would have noticed by now." Sokka claimed, all while Aang, the official last member of an ethnic group that was killed off roughly a hundred years ago, was simply speechless.

"But he doesn't even look like an Air Nomad." Katara muttered.

"Yeah, my people kept to a strict and standard dress code to reflect our spiritual heritage." Aang said when he found his voice. "This boy has neither the wardrobe, the personality, or even the hair of an Air Nomad I've ever seen."

"And yet you all saw it." Toph added, ending the denial rather effectively.

Suffice to say, it threw them all for a loop.

It only took Azula a moment to recover from her surprise and considerable pain in the gut. She didn't waste time trying to understand minor questions like 'how' or 'where'. All she cared about was one thing.

'There's another Airbender alive. The Avatar isn't the last one after all.'

But there was more to this discovery than just that one fact. It was clear from the way this boy moved and held himself that he was a far different breed of fighter than the common bender. He was unbelievably fast, so fast that even her well-trained eyes could barely keep up with him when he'd sprinted up to attack her. He was also ridiculously strong for such a lithe body build, probably even stronger than most common Earthbender men who prided themselves on their immense statures and physical strength. And as if that wasn't enough, he appeared quite agile and evasive. He was balanced between strong, fast, and agile without being weak in either aspect. In short, he was dangerous in combat.

'He's achieved something that's difficult for even the best of warriors to accomplish. Combined with his Airbending, he's difficult to face at either close or long range.' Azula noticed, using her acute talent for determining a person's limits. 'I'll need to attack even faster than he can respond to in order to put him down. and I know just the way to do it.'

An almost arrogant sneer crossed her lips as that thought shot through her mind at the comparable speed of lightning. Setting her stance wide and strong as she emptied herself of all mental and emotional conflicts she may have been feeling, Azula felt the yin and yang energies inside of her and began separating them. The only warning that the outside world had of the brewing storm inside of her were the streaks of lightning that began sparking off her body.

Ranma instantly noticed the change that was taking place around the girl he'd knocked back. If he were honest with himself, he wasn't surprised that she was still standing. While strong, that uppercut he'd given her wasn't meant to be a knock-out blow. Vicious girl or not, she was still a girl after all. Hell the only reason he had hit her in the first place was to get her to stop attacking Kasumi.

But what surprised him was that she was apparently now trailing lightning from her body as she went through what was clearly a very advanced and complicated kata that he vaguely recognized as another minor variant of the Shaolin style.

'A chi attack, Luckily I can deal with those. Wait, why does she look a bit familiar? Almost like... no, it can't be.' He thought, finally starting to realize what Kasumi already had.

Regardless of whether or not that idea was right, Ranma had to focus on his actions. He stood on the balls of his feet and prepared to meet the attack head-on.

However, his subtle movement and lack of evasion hadn't gone unnoticed by anyone. All of the Avatar gang quickly realized that he was planning to rush the lightning attack, likely ignorant of just how deadly such an attack could be.

"NO, DON'T DO IT!" Aang yelled, just as Azula was completing her final motions. The attack was imminent. "__DODGE IT!__"

Time slowed down.

Ranma glanced back at the young bald boy, trying to decide whether to be offended by the boy's lack of faith in his skills or be curious what he was so afraid of. However, the considerable volume of the yell and the genuine concern on not only the boy's face but those of his three friends quickly told Ranma that they were all serious. Then he figured out why.

'If these guys are who I think they are, then that means maybe they've dealt with this girl before. They should known what her skills and abilities are. They would know whether to dodge certain attacks or not.'

Just as he was turning to face the princess again, she thrust her hand forward and sent an actual _l___ig____htning bolt __flying from her two fingertips, her face gleaming with sadistic pride in the lightning's glow. Pure reflex, ingrained martial skill, and powerful muscles all melded together as Ranma's basest human instincts to survive jumped to the forefront. Before the lightning had traveled half of the relatively short distance between them, Ranma had flung his body into the air, trying to roll away from the deadly attack. But even with his superhuman reflexes and instinctive dodge, he still wasn't entirely able to dodge.

The lightning managed to clip his body as it passed, sending a grazing trail of electric agony shooting through his abdomen. The lightning bolt carried on past him and crashed into the trees behind him where it exploded spectacularly and started a fire. What had started as a frantic but still graceful dodge turned into a graceless collapse as Ranma fell the ground, writhing in agony as random jolts of electricity played havoc throughout his body. Though, to his credit, he was able to control himself well enough to not cry out in pain as he crashed and thrashed.

Azula broke out into loud, sadistic laughter at her triumph. Sure, she had missed most of her target because he was even faster than she'd anticipated, but even a grazing hit was still a hit and he was down either way.

"Yes! No lousy leaf-blower could ever hope to stand against me! For the pride of the Fire Nation, I'll kill both Airbenders here and any others might still be alive and hiding!"

"AIREN!" The purple-haired girl who had arrived with Ranma yelled in distress and surprise. But rather than rush to his aid as many of them thought she'd do, she instead turned and glared hatefully at Azula. _"You hurt ___my__ __Ranma! Shampoo kil____l__**_!_**_"_ With no other words, she drew her club and rushed the fire princess to make good on her promise.

"Shampoo don't!" Kasumi called out again, trying to warn the girl.

As Azula casually turned to face the next attacker, Ty Lee finally jumped into action. She landed just ahead of Shampoo and crouched down, standing lightly on her feet. As she predicted, Shampoo tried to knock her away with her chui rather than face her. Ty Lee dodged and slid up behind her, jabbing the girl along her upraised left arm, causing the limb to go numb and dropping the heavy weapon to the ground. The chui crashing to the ground hard enough to actually __shake __the earth caused Ty Lee to reflexively jump away in surprise.

'Just how heavy are those things?' The former circus star asked herself.

Kasumi looked to Aang. "Please, Avatar, we have to get out of here. Take us with you."

Aang wasn't surprised she knew he was the Avatar, that was kind of common knowledge by this point. "But how do we know you're not a threat?" He asked.

"I can explain everything, but I can't do that here near them. Please, help us." She pleaded

Meanwhile, Shampoo took the split second Ty Lee was distracted to look closely at her arm and determine what was wrong. All the girl with the braided hair did was lightly jab her arm in certain places, rendering it numb and unresponsive. It didn't take long for Shampoo to realize that the girl had used shiatsu against her, hitting her pressure points to disrupt her movement.

In a burst of anger, Shampoo spun around and, using her chi to empower her one good arm, swung her reclaimed chui at the jumpy girl. That was where something strange happened. Although Ty Lee dodged the club, she wasn't able to dodge the large rock that got ripped out of the earth and sent flying at her at incredible speeds. The rock slammed into her pelvis due to her positioning in the air, which otherwise would've been sufficient enough to dodge the chui. The unexpected attack caught Ty Lee by surprise and knocked her tumbling back through the air, though she was still able to catch herself and turn her fall into a roll as she hit the ground.

"So, you're an Earthbender?" A bland and very bored sounding voice asked from behind. Shampoo turned and glared at the third girl Mai not letting the strange geological event bother her just yet since she was still engaged in a fight. "And here I thought this would be challenging."

Before Shampoo could properly reply, Mai suddenly drew a large handful of shuriken and daggers from her sleeves and hurled them at Shampoo. Shampoo just sent the girl her own bored expression as she casually waved her chui through the air and deflected all of the fast-incoming weapons with incredible ease.

"Is that it?" She asked in her own best impression of the girl's voice.

Ty Lee couldn't restrain the giggle that crept out of her, despite the throbbing pain in her abdomen. "That's actually pretty good! I've been trying for years to imitate Mai like that!"

"Alright, show's over!" Toph yelled from the side, reminding the three Fire Nation girls that they still hadn't caught their prey. "Time to go, boy and girls!"

The earth below Shampoo and Ranma suddenly jutted upwards with such incredible force that it sent the two of them flying through the air. After only a moment of involuntary air travel, they landed on the relative safety of Appa's saddle where the rest of the Avatar group and Kasumi already was waiting.

With a great grunting growl, Appa kicked off the ground, beating the air with his large tail. Though unintentional, Appa's tail created a huge blast of wind that knocked each of the girls off their feet momentarily because of the unexpectedness of the attack. As they were flying away, Sokka couldn't help asking a question that was bugging him. "Where's that other guy who got sent flying?"

* * *

Hanging upside down in a tree by his ankles that were wedged between two branches, Ryoga let out a furious yell. "DAMN YOU, RANMA!" Fire literally spewing from his mouth and burning the leaves and branches around him as he raged.

* * *

As Appa reached a safe cruising altitude, the sky bison leveled off but kept up a slighter faster than normal pace at the urging of his partner. Once level and stable Katara moved towards the back of the saddle towards the injured strangers, only to be blocked by the purple-haired girl, glare on her face and good arm holding her weapon as she knelt protectively over the injured boy.

"Please, I can help." Katara said in a voice meant to sooth the girl. "I'm a trained healer."

Shampoo glared suspiciously at Katara, and then sent a worried glance to Ranma. With her own medical knowledge Shampoo knew Ranma's burns were bad, with potential lasting nerve damage if he wasn't treated. But she didn't want to leave her to-be-husband's care to a stranger. Though, in the Water Tribe girl's favor, she hadn't attacked them like the girls in pink and red back there had.

With reluctance Shampoo moved to the side, allowing Katara access to Ranma. Katara gave a brief nod of thanks as she positioned herself next to Ranma, and what she did next surprised Shampoo. Instead of pulling out burn balm and medical gauze, she held out a waterskin and made some subtle motions with her hand, drawing water out of the skin and making it float above Ranma.

'_Magic water?_' Shampoo questioned in her mind. That seemed to be the case as the water started glowing and pressed itself against Ranma's injuries at Katara's manipulations. Almost immediately Ranma relaxed, the pained expression on his face easing as the water went to work.

From the front of the saddle, Kasumi watched with both relief and amazement. Relief that Ranma was being healed and amazement that she was literally in one of her favorite tv shows. _'But how did we end up here?_' She thought before it clicked in her head. '_The ticket?_'

Acting on instinct, the housekeeper checked the only pockets she had which were in her apron, and was relieved to see half of the golden ticket still in her possession. "Ranma, Shampoo, this is why we're here." She said, showing them the stub.

Ranma grimaced, but it was hard to tell it that was an attempt to communicate.

"You think ticket bring us here?" Shampoo asked the oldest Tendo daughter.

"It's the only explanation. Apparently it does give you quite an experience, but not that of a mere movie." Kasumi replied. "I think it was meant to make you_ live_ the movie, not just _watch_ it."

"But we no in movie." Shampoo pointed out, confused but seeing the reasoning here.

"What are you girls talking about?" Sokka asked, pulling Kasumi from her musings. "Now that we've escaped the crazy Fire Nation girls, I think you owe us some explanations. Like..." He then pointed dramatically at her and practically shouted the next part. "_Who are you and what was that light!?_"

Toph beside him grimaced at the sudden volume increase, having to dig into her ear with her finger. "Geez Sokka, what's with the shouting?"

"Sokka gets noisy when he's paranoid. You'll get used to it." Aang explained from his position in the driver's seat.

"Oh, that makes sense."

Sokka gave the two a withering stare, or it would've been if either bender could be intimidated by Sokka. "How am I paranoid? You both saw the light!"

"I didn't." Toph countered with annoyance and waving her hand in front of her blind face.

"Er… sensed them arrive? It was big, flashy, noisy, and the next thing we know we have the Fire Nation's latest hunting party at our campsite. We don't know who they are, what they want, or whose side they're on!"

"They got hurt fighting 'Princess' Azula and her cohorts." Toph pointed out.

"True." Sokka conceded. "But before you joined us, Toph, we learned the hard way that just because someone is the enemy of the Fire Nation, that does not make them our friend."

Toph raised an eyebrow and looked ready to question him when Kasumi spoke up.

"Um, I can answer your questions, but…" Here she hesitated as she sought the best words. "You aren't likely to believe me."

"I'll be the judge of that." Toph stated as she crawled in front of Kasumi and promptly placed a hand to her chest.

Cue synchronized exclamations of "Oh my!" and "Toph!" followed by a blushing Sokka. Aang's attention was solidly fixed on the sky ahead, which prompted him to ask "What are you doing?"

"I'm feeling her heartbeat." She explained. "When people lie, their heartbeat fluctuates and I can tell when that happens."

"Oh, so the reason you have your hand-"

"Look, normally I can feel it through the earth but Appa's own heart is drowning things out. So this will have to do. _OKAY___?!__"

Sometimes even Sokka knew when to back off. "Okay."

Over in the back, Shampoo watched in amusement as Katara just looked annoyed as she focused on healing.

Toph turned her attention back to Kasumi. "Now, let's start easy. Who are you and how did you get here?"


	3. On the Edge of Fire

****Legends of the Four Masters  
****__#03—On the Edge of Fire__

Surprise. Fear. Confusion. Denial. These were the strongest emotions Kasumi had experienced when she saw what had happened to her and realized where she was. No one could fault her, those were perfectly rational reactions for a situation that was bizarre even by Neriman standards.

'What do I do? What do I say? That these guys are just fictional characters in a children's cartoon and it's only because of some magic gone wrong we're here? I wouldn't blame them if they suggested throwing me off Appa right here just for sounding that crazy.'

A few things were helping Kasumi keep some calmness here. First was the obvious fact that she wasn't alone. If she was alone she wasn't sure how well she'd be coping here. She might have even greatly doubted her own sanity. Who wouldn't?

The other thing helping her was a strange one that probably no one else would have noticed. The members of the Avatar group, Azula's group, even the setting, they all looked realistic. As real as her own reality. They didn't look two-dimensional or animated like being in a cartoon would. It was still obviously them, there was no denying it. But at least Kasumi and her companions didn't look or feel like live action characters in an animated environment. If that had been the case she would have definitely doubted her sanity.

Then Toph went up to Kasumi and started interrogating her. "Now, let's start easy. Who are you and how did you get here?"

Naturally, Kasumi had no idea how to respond, and so chose not to right away.

"Okay, let's start easier. What is your name?" Toph asked again.

"I'm... Kasumi. Kasumi Tendo. And you're really Toph Bei Fong?"

Toph's eyes widened a bit. "How do you know my name?"

"You are kind of famous Toph." Sokka suggested.

"But not by name. I'm known best back home as the Blind Bandit, and few people even knew my parents had a kid. And even then, I wouldn't be known of out of town. There's no way this woman can know of me."

"I do. I even know about all four of you." Kasumi said. "You're the child of a very wealthy family who assumed you were helpless just because you're blind and when you proved them wrong by defeating a group of professional wrestlers on your own they acted like you not being helpless was somehow a bad thing. This is what prompted you to leave them to join the Avatar telling him they gave you permission."

"Wait, are you saying Toph didn't have permission to come with us?" Aang asked, overhearing this.

"Aang, her parents told us no quite firmly then ordered us to leave their home. You didn't really believe they changed their minds that quickly and allowed Toph to come to us did you?" Katara asked back.

"You knew I was lying?" Toph asked the waterbender.

"You came to us alone and sounded in a hurry, like you had been running. It was pretty obvious you were trying to run away from home." Katara answered. "I just didn't bother pointing it out as Aang does need an earthbending teacher and I didn't like your parents attitudes either."

Toph turned her focus back to Kasumi. "Clearly you at least know who I am, but how?"

Kasumi sighed, feeling a little better about talking now. "Before I do that, I have to tell something else. We need to find somewhere to wash Appa. He's shedding and that will give Azula a trail to follow. Get rid of his extra fur right away and you can throw her off your trail. If you don't, none of you are going to get any sleep until after sunrise."

"No sleep?" Sokka mildly panicked. "Is he really shedding that badly?" Kasumi nodded. "Aang, let's take 'er down."

Aang was a bit hesitant, but ordered his flying bison to descend towards a river.

"What else do you know?" Toph asked, not yet sure what nickname to apply to the strange new girl.

"I know all your names and a bit of your backstories. Aang is the last airbender alive, he was taught originally by Monk Gyatso but when he overheard others planning to separate them he panicked and flew off, only to end up in a storm and get frozen in an iceberg for a hundred years. Then recently Katara and Sokka found him outside their home the Southern Water Tribe, and after fending off some Fire Nation soldiers who happened to be in the area looking for the Avatar, learned that Aang himself is the Avatar. Since then, they've traveled with him to help him learn bending, and Katara as well since they both needed to learn waterbending. Which they recently got better at in the Northern Water Tribe under a man named Hadoka and fought off a Fire Nation army led by a madman named Zhao who wanted to kill the moon spirit."

The homemaker paused there to see if she had made a convincing enough case yet. Everyone in the Avatar group looked at her in surprise, the only ones not doing so were Ranma and Shampoo because the former was more focused on his injury and the latter was focused on him. It was only Appa's landing that shocked them into reacting.

"How do you know all this?" Sokka asked.

"This is going to sound really strange..." Kasumi started.

"As long as it's honest that's all that matters." Toph insisted.

"Alright, well, I come from another world. Kind of like the spirit world, but where people live instead of spirits. In that world there is no bending, and technology is a little more advanced than here. One of the things we have is... think of it as moving and talking pictures that tell stories, and one of them is about you guys. So in my world, you guys are just works of fiction but thanks to a mishap with a magic ticket, here we are."

Sokka, Katara, Toph and Aang were back to staring at her, making no attempt to embark off their large ride. Kasumi couldn't blame them in the least.

Finally Sokka had to say something. "That is…__RIDICULOUS!__"

"But she's not lying." Toph stated with finality. "She's telling the truth."

"But come on! Other worlds? Moving picture shows of our lives? Magic tickets that takes a person from one location to someplace else entirely?"

"Actually..." Aang started. "That last one isn't too different from when Hei Bai kidnapped you. He took you while we were in the forest, but you returned at the village gates."

"That's just Avatar stuff, that doesn't count." Sokka grumbled, though it was clear he was backing off, if sulking slightly.

"Let's just get to work on getting rid of Appa's extra fur." Katara suggested, finally finishing her work of healing Ranma's injuries. "Then we can get to sleep and things will make more sense."

"Yeah, let's do that." Sokka agreed, still pouting.

Everyone got off the sky bison, which Shampoo helping Ranma. "I can walk y'know Shampoo." He insisted, while she made him lean against her.

"I know, but Airen need help." She replied gently as she supported his climb down.

Once free of passengers, Appa waded into the water and let himself relax. Aang and Katara started waving their arms rhythmically, and two water spouts formed to give the bison a shower. At the same time Momo tried using a brush to assist in the process, while avoiding the water himself. Clumps of fur gave off him and went downstream.

Everyone else stood on the shore not knowing what they could do. Sokka went to Kasumi though, something on his mind.

"Let's say for the sake of argument what you said is true. What does that mean for us? That we're just fake characters in some story? Does this mean everything we've done or will do is completely pointless and ultimately our lives and everyone elses isn't worth anything?"

Kasumi was hesitant to respond. How exactly do you reply to that kind of question?

"Well we can test something." Ranma said before Kasumi could. "If this is just a cartoon, say a bad word."

Sokka and Toph looked confused, and so did Kasumi. "What would that prove?" Sokka asked.

"In our world, this is a kids show. So if this is real, then you can do stuff that can't happen in a kids show. Like swear."

"Ranma!" Kasumi chided, not wanting to encourage profanity.

"Good idea Airen." Shampoo said, seeing the logic.

"Alright then. Crap. That good enough for you?" Toph said, no stranger to bad language thanks to her wrestling days.

"That should do. So we're not in the cartoon itself, just a world where the cartoon is real instead of fake."

"So we are real people? That's a relief." Sokka said, ending with a smile. Then he lost it, regaining his serious face. "Alright, can you tell us anything about our enemies we should know about?"

"I get the feeling Zhao's out of the picture, but Azula's going to be a big problem. She's the daughter of the Fire Lord, and however bad you think her brother Zuko is, she's worse."

"Yeah we kind of got that hint. What about those with her?" Toph asked.

"Old friends of hers. One is Ty Lee, a martial artist who is trained specifically to take down benders. Her hits pretty much render your bending or bodies in general temporarily useless. I don't know how long, but it will wear off. The other one is Mai, a throwing weapon expert with good aim. Beyond that, I'm not quite sure what else there is. Thing is, I haven't finished the story. This particular moment, this is as far as I got."

"Great, so you can't tell us how to defeat the Fire Nation ahead of time." Sokka complained.

"Considering that Aang still has to learn the other elements, that kind of wasn't an option to begin with Sokka." Katara called out, having been listening in while scrubbing the sky bison.

"Why does he have to learn the other elements anyway?" Ranma asked, feeling much better now. "I mean, if he's what Kasumi told me he is, shouldn't he be able to fight already? She said he's already taken out a whole navy with just water. Are you saying this fire guy is stronger than a navy?"

"You got a point pigtail, but this guy's not likely to be near the ocean so do you have a Plan B?" Sokka remarked.

"Let's not worry about that for now. Let's focus on getting rid of Azula and finding someplace to camp before it gets too late." Katara advised.

"I know one thing you can do." Kasumi added. "Aang can use the shedded fur to create a false trail for Azula to follow. It should work, as long as you avoid damaging any tree tops in the takeoff. In the show you tried this, but Appa was tired and so he broke a few trees in flying, thus making Azula suspicious and still able to find you."

"Alright, so as long as Appa can fly more carefully it should work." Aang said.

"Hold on, I think I've got a better idea." Sokka claimed. "The fake fur trail is a good start, but it won't last long. What if we did the broken tree top idea on purpose to lead them further away from us and maybe divide their attention? And all the while we're going in neither direction."

"Two fake trails? Wow, they'd never suspect that. You're even more clever than the show made you look Sokka." Kasumi praised.

Ego slightly inflated, the Water Tribe boy stood proudly. "It's what I do, being the leader and brains of the group after all."

"Oh not this again Sokka." Katara groaned.

"I think we've got it all." Aang commented, gathering up a lot of fur then his staff. "I can do my part."

"Aang, you fly north. We'll have Appa take off towards the south and leave a trail for the Fire Nation to follow, before changing course northeast. If this works they'll find one of the air temples before they find us." Sokka told the bald boy.

Nodding, Aang had the wings of his staff emerge then took to the air heading north.

"Let's hurry." Katara said. Everyone got back in the giant saddle with the Water Tribe girl grabbing the reins."Yip yip!" With those words, the sky bison took to the air again, heading south and careful to make sure his belly broke some tree tops.

'I'm in a world where fiction has become real. I've been taken from my home and I have no idea how to get back. And I may have already just gotten myself, Ranma, Shampoo, and Ryoga involved in a war they know nothing about. And I have no idea what's coming next. This could potentially be the most dangerous situation any of us have ever been in.' Kasumi thought to herself, allowing herself to look at the landscape beneath the flying behemoth she was riding. Yet all the while, she was smiling.

'And somehow, I've never been more excited in my life.'

* * *

Ryoga's feet finally touched the ground again. He didn't have to look around to know that he was in some place he couldn't recognize. Right now he didn't even have a sense of deja vu with the surrounding area. He was very far from anywhere he had already been.

'One moment I'm in Akane's house in pig form just relaxing and hearing Ranma be his usual scum self opening intending to cheat on Akane and break her heart, then the next moment I'm far away from any sign of civilization in human form surrounded by Ranma and some strange people.'

Then he reached into one of his pockets, and pulled out half of the torn ticket from before. 'This was in my mouth when I got here. I know this is part of how we got here. Tearing it brought us here. So I can't say it's entirely Ranma's fault this happened. Still, he had to suffer for being willing to hurt Akane like that. How dare he accept spending time with another girl?'

Hearing Ranma consider going to a movie with Shampoo had made the lost boy lose any rationality he had that evening. How dare Ranma still keep Akane on a hook after everything that had happened at Jusendo?

"I thought you had changed Ranma. I actually gave you the benefit of the doubt after what happened with Saffron." Ryoga said to himself, falling on his old habit of voicing his thoughts aloud just so he could hear a human voice on days he'd otherwise be unable to. "I thought you'd finally realized how important Akane was and make that clear to her. Then you go and accept a date offer from someone you know Akane hates just for fun?"

He was so angry at the idea, boosted by a memory that was exaggerating the interaction between the youngest Saotome and Amazon girl thanks to his anger, that he just wanted to roar. And so he did. But when he did, fire shot out of his mouth like he was some kind of dragon.

"How did I do that?" He asked himself when that little outburst finished. "That was certainly not a Shishi Hokodan. I've never done anything like that before." He looked back down at the torn ticket half. "Did this do something to me? Wait, is that why I showed up here as a human? Did this thing trade my curse for fire power? I got to find some water and test this."

He then put the ticket back in his pocket and ran off in a random direction, hoping to find some water nearby.

* * *

"Wads of wet fur." Mai noted dourly while Azula pulled some of the fur out of a riverbank the three had stopped by just before midnight. "How delightful." She added sarcastically.

Ty Lee put her hand on her chin. "They're not wads, they're more like... bundles, or bunches?" She then scratched the top of her head. "It's got an 'uh' sound."

"Clumps?" Mai offered.

Ty Lee smiled and snapped her fingers. "Clumps! They're clumps!" As if to emphasize her glee she hugged the stoic knife thrower, who didn't know how to react.

All the while, the Fire Nation princess checked the evidence of the Avatar's recent presence. 'The fur is from upstream, and at the same time there's another trail that seems to change direction entirely, but the fur is less wet.' She glanced north where the fur trail clearly went, no different than the trail that they had been following all evening, but she wasn't convinced this was genuine. Looking around, her eyes settled on some trees to the south, where it was very clear something can damaged the tops but not the bottoms or even middles. As if something big and heavy was flying too low for a brief moment.

'Thought you could outsmart me did you little airhead? It's dark but not dark enough to hide your tracks.' She thought pompously with a shit-eating grin on her face. "The Avatar is trying to give us the slip." She announced as she turned to her companions. "You two head in that direction and keep your eye out for the bison." She pointed in the direction of the broken trees. "I'll follow this trail."

"Why split up?" Ty Lee asked.

"To do this, they had to split up. I'm thinking this way we can catch them before they reunite. Now hurry."

The other two girls nodded and got back on their mongoose-dragons to head south, while Azula did the same heading north.

* * *

Aang flew for several long minutes, little by little dropping fur from a satchel and avoiding going in a straight line too much.

'I'm running low on fur. If the trail just ends they'll just go back to chasing us. Maybe I can lead them to another distraction.' The young monk thought, eyes searching the terrain below him. Eventually they spotted a town in a open field that had no lights glowing that night, not even street lanterns. 'Could that be a ghost town?' He asked himself, descending to get a closer look.

His suspicions were proven true, this town was deserted and somewhat in ruins. Not like there had been a battle there but more like everyone just left it decades ago. Granted there was some major property damage, but nothing that couldn't have been rebuilt, and some of it looked like it had happened over the years rather than all at once.

"As long as there are no people here for them to hurt, that's all that matters." Aang said, landing and letting the last of his fur collection litter the ground. "If I'm right, they might think we're hiding here and spend some time looking around."

He was then about to fly off, but suddenly hesitated. "Wait, should I make sure there's no one here before assuming it?"

The thought of leaving someone behind for Azula to burn in his place left the airbender with little other choice. He closed up the wings on his staff and moved to check the insides of the buildings. For the majority of them, they were as empty as one could expect. But one of them wasn't. There was someone sleeping inside by a small hearth that still had some embers in it, and it wasn't just anyone.

"Zuko?" Aang asked himself, surprised to see his first nemesis here of all places. "Wow, you look different than when I saw you at the north pole. You grew your hair out and those clothes sure are more common than royal. If it weren't for your scare I wouldn't recognize you at all."

Through this all, the banished prince kept sleeping.

"Well, I can't leave you behind." Aang said, then carefully poked at the firebender with his staff.

Zuko suddenly woke up, and jumped up on reflex while blasting some fire at the one who surprised him. Some quick airbending got rid of the flames too.

"Who are you?" Zuko said, not fully recognizing the newcomer in his current state.

"It's me Zuko, the Avatar." Aang confessed.

Zuko sighed. "How ironic, I stop looking and you come to me."

"Someone else is coming this way too. Her name's Azula." Aang added.

Zuko tensed. "And you came looking for me just to warn me?"

"Actually I was trying to get her away from my friends and came here. You being here too is just coincidence."

"Well if she's really coming then stop standing around and get the heck out of here." Zuko warned, getting his supplies and rushing out.

"You're not going to try and capture me in the process?" Aang asked, running alongside him.

"And how would I do that right now? I've got no way to contain you or transport you anywhere." Zuko pointed out. "Just make sure she can't capture you."

"Wasn't planning on letting her." Aang said, opening the wings of his staff when he was outside and using airbending to propel him into the sky. He glanced down at Zuko to see what he was doing, and saw the scarred boy turn around a corner and disappear. Aang flew off completely before he could see Zuko riding a ostrich-horse away from the ghost town and to safety himself.

* * *

To the east atop a mountain, the hunted group was resting and hoping they were safe.

"Land, sweet land." Toph said happily hopping out of the saddle. Once thing she had quickly learned on this trip was that flying was no fun when you're blind and dependent on seismic tremors for perception.

"You sure they won't find us?" Katara asked, holding her camping supplies but not getting them ready yet. Appa meanwhile quickly got on his side, practically dumping everyone out of the saddle.

"I can't guarantee it, but I believe they've been diverted enough to give you guys a few hours at least." Kasumi answered. "Also, a word of advice, don't give Toph trouble over not helping in setting up camp."

"What do you mean? We all contribute here so she should be expected to too." Katara claimed.

"I know what you mean, but think about it this way. Toph came on this journey to gain a sense of independence from her overbearing family. Don't you think it's a bit natural for her to want to express that independence a bit here too?"

"She's right you know." The aforementioned blind girl remarked from a minor distance, using bending to create her own tent and reminding everyone of her excellent hearing.

Katara frowned. "I don't have a problem with that. What I have a problem with is her acting like she's too good to help out around her."

"Did you tell her what she could do to help before telling her to just do something?" Kasumi asked, having trouble remembering that detail of the last episode she saw. She did remember that fighting between the waterbender and earthbender had only aggravated the problems of the episode, something she was hoping to change since she was actually here.

"I... don't remember anymore." Katara admitted, glancing around and seeing her brother already ready to sleep. Ranma and Shampoo were standing around since they had no supplies on them and none were offered to them.

"Let's not deal with it for now and have you two work it out tomorrow. Right now, we all need to sleep." Kasumi advised. "Though how my friends and I are going to is up for debate."

Ranma and Shampoo glanced at each other, both knowing the clear problem. They were no strangers to sleeping outside, even without blankets or sleeping bags, but Kasumi was no camper. She had in all likelihood never in her life even had to consider not sleeping in a bed. And while normally they'd at least consider telling the other person to make do without, this was Kasumi.

"I suppose we can sleep in Appa's saddle if we can take it off him, though I don't know what we will do for warmth." She mused.

"Oh for crying out loud." Toph groaned, then stomped her foot on the ground and creating three more earth tents next to hers. "There, happy? Or is sleeping on dirt too much for Miss Know-It-All?"

"Hey! Don't talk to Kasumi that way!" Ranma yelled, only for Toph to bend a wall between her and him, effectively slamming the door on him.

"It's okay Ranma." The oldest Tendo daughter told him. "She's just tired. They all are, and we could use some sleep ourselves. Let's just get some sleep and deal with all this tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me." Shampoo noted, heading to one of the stone shelters. She glanced at Ranma briefly, her expression unreadable to him, then continued on her way, selecting the one closest to Toph. Naturally this confused Ranma, and made him feel a bit paranoid on sheer reflex. His choice was to select the tent further from Shampoo, and Kasumi by default chose the tent in between them.

It was around that time that Aang managed to find them. "Alright everyone, that should-" He was cut off by some sudden suction into the ground.

The door to Toph's tent descended and the blind earthbender's head emerged, some dark rings forming around her eyes now. "Why can't anyone just shut up already?" She went back in and put her door back up, and of course allowed Aang to get out of the ground. Wisely keeping his mouth shut, he went to sleep in Appa's saddle.

'Note to self, when Toph wants to sleep, let her.' Katara thought to herself within her sleeping bag. Sokka meanwhile had already slept through the whole thing.

* * *

"Dammit! Where are the airbenders?" Azula loudly complained when she and her friends reunited an hour after they split up. Despite Azula's expectations, both sides had failed to find their prey.

"Who would have thought that someone who remained hidden for a century would be so good at losing pursuers?" Mai asked sarcastically.

"No matter, we must keep looking." Azula declared.

"Azula, mind if I point out a few concerns before you get started?" Ty Lee asked, knowing it was a risky mood to stand up to the princess on almost anything. Fortunately Azula wasn't quite so quick to punish people for doing so as she'd like them to believe.

Azula frowned at the former circus star. "Like what?"

"We have no leads anymore, so they could be anywhere by now. And while attacking them when they're too tired to fight back at full strength is a good plan, the thing is we need our sleep too. Maybe we should just call it a night and start again tomorrow."

Azula silently glared, not sure if she should yell at her friend for suggesting they stop, or take her advice seriously. Thing is, Ty Lee did have a point. Traveling by tank and mongoose-dragon would make it more convenient for them, and they had servants doing the actual driving. But even so, as it was, chasing down the Avatar's group would exhaust the three of them more than it would exhaust their targets.

"Your thoughts Mai?" The princess asked.

The easily bored girl leaned against their tank. "I'd say get some rest now and start again tomorrow. Wasting energy searching while they're resting will only give them the advantage. And you Azula have never given the other side the advantage before."

Azula still looked displeased, but closed her eyes. "Very well, then get some rest. We will resume the search before dawn. Maybe we can catch them before they fully wake up."

With that, the three went back into the tank to rest up.


	4. Settling In

****Legends of the Four Masters  
****__#04—Settling In__

Morning came and everyone was glad to be well rested now. Kasumi and Ranma were especially glad to actually have the chance to sleep in for once. After all, there were no household chores or annoying pandas demanding their attentions.

"Okay, now that we've got some rest and had some time to let all this sink in, what do we do about it?" Sokka asked, addressing the Nerimans.

"Do about what?" Kasumi asked.

"What are we going to do about you?" Sokka asked. "You say you know things about us, but also admit that you don't know what's going to happen later. Honestly, I'm okay with that. I've had enough experience with a fortune teller to last me a lifetime."

"Oh yeah, Aunt Wu." Kasumi said, getting the reference.

"So what should we do about where you guys are going to go?" Sokka continued.

"What's there to discuss? This guy's an airbender like me." Aang said, gesturing towards Ranma.

"What makes you think I'm an airbender?" Ranma asked.

"You created a tornado." Aang, Sokka, and Katara all answered together.

"Oh that? That's not airbending. That's just an advanced martial art technique" Ranma replied.

"That looked like airbending to me. And I would know." Aang stated.

"And either way, there was some definite earthbending that wasn't done by me." Toph added. "How can you be benders if you come from a world that has no bending?"

"We're not benders. None of us are." Ranma insisted. "But if I could learn how to that would be worth a try. Would be fun for a change."

Kasumi and Shampoo looked at the pigtailed boy in surprise, not sure what to think of that.

Aang smiled. "Alright. I never got to teach another airbender. This should be fun."

"Hold it Twinkle Toes." Toph started, pointing her hand firmly on his shoulder. "You still got to get started on earthbending."

"And your waterbending could use some more work too." Katara added.

"Face it Aang, you've got too much work as a student to be a teacher now." Sokka commented.

"I'm sure I can spare a day to show a new airbender the ropes." Aang insisted. "And Toph can show the other earthbender some skills too before showing me."

"I'm pretty sure you guys only saw what you thought was bending, but it wasn't." Ranma insisted.

"Sorry, but you're wrong." Toph countered. "I don't rely on my eyes like you guys do. Someone there bended the earth and it wasn't me. And there was no one around to do that except us. One of you guys is an earthbender. I'd bet my championship belt on it."

"That girl said I did it." Shampoo pointed out.

"Come with me, I'll see for sure if you really can do it." Toph suggested.

"Great. Then I'll do the same with this guy." Aang added, gesturing to Ranma.

The two girls and the two boys then left to do some separate training, leaving the Water Tribe siblings with Kasumi.

"Well, since this is happening anyway, want to see if you can waterbend or not?" Katara offered.

"No thanks. I'm not one for combat. And even if I was, I think I'm more like Sokka than you guys. Ranma and Shampoo I can see as benders given how they were already martial artists. Not me." Kasumi answered.

Sokka smiled. "Nice to not be the only non-bender around here anymore."

"Speaking of which, I'm not sure my group should be staying with you guys for much longer." Kasumi added.

"Why?" Katara asked.

"I've thought about it, and the way I see it, my companions and I would only get in Aang's way. The core of this group is him and his way to becoming a full-trained Avatar so he can defeat the Fire Nation and end the war. A war that my group and I have no business being in. You're better off just leaving us and going on your business while we focus on getting home."

"Umm... do you really think you can stay in this world even for a short time without getting involved in the war?" Sokka asked. "The only place on earth the Fire Nation can't get to is Ba Sing Se."

"I'm sorry, but this isn't our home and this isn't our fight. Us getting involved will only make a mess of things. And while this may not be a tv show, I'm certain you guys can win without us. But the three of us, why should we get involved in this? Really, why?"

"Because the war is affecting everyone. Some more than others, but still everyone." Sokka told her. "If you think we're better off apart then I'm not going to argue. Fact is we probably are. But that doesn't mean you are better off apart from us."

"Look, let's not get into whether or not it's safe to be together or not. Let's go over whether it's smart or not." Kasumi requested.

The oldest Tendo daughter had strongly mixed feelings on this situation. For the most part, it felt like whether or not she should stay near the Avatar was a no-brainer. It was the experience of a lifetime for her and if they were going to be in danger this group would be the safest place to be. Plus with Ranma and Shampoo here too it wasn't like she herself would be in danger or ever alone.

But there was of course a downside to this. While this might not be _the_ tv show, she had no reason to believe the outcome would be any different here in the long run. But that would only be possible if the 'storyline' was unchanged. Her and the others being here now was basically the butterfly effect put into action. Even their smallest changes could affect the future in ways they couldn't predict.

"The way I see it, your group can succeed without us, but there's no guarantee you could win _with_ us. And the most important thing here is that Aang can defeat the Fire Lord and save this world. Like you said, this is a real world and therefore real people's lives are at risk."

"Yeah, including yours." Sokka told her, then sighed. "Look, you guys got us out of a jam so we owe you at least a passage to safety. Tell you what, Ba Sing Se is the only place in the world the Fire Nation can't get to. We can take you there to give you some safety."

"That seems reasonable." Katara added on her brother's behalf. "We could benefit from getting to Ba Sing Se ourselves so Aang can practice more without being attacked. And maybe we can consult with the Earth King on how to win the war."

"How?" Kasumi asked. "I mean, yes you have the Avatar with you, but is that enough? If simply having the Avatar around was all it took to win the war wouldn't someone from the Earth Kingdom have tried recruiting him to Ba Sing Se by now."

"You're right, we need more." Sokka stated. "We need something we can use to help turn the war around. Something we can use against the Fire Nation. Do you know anything?"

"Sorry, no. At this point in the story the Fire Nation homeland hadn't really been explained yet to the audience other than the home of the bad guys." Kasumi explained. "But I'm sure somewhere in the Earth Kingdom there's at least some information on it. Like a refuge or maybe even Avatar Roku."

"I wouldn't go to Avatar Roku as a source. No offense to the guy, but he's hard to reach and his information is dated by at least a hundred years. We need a more current source." Sokka insisted.

"Let's not worry about it right now." Katara suggested. "For now, why don't we simply assess the current situation and see what we can do in the present?"

"That's my preferred way of handling a crisis, prioritize what can be fixed now rather than later." Kasumi pointed out. "Right now my group has nowhere to go and we will need your help to get us anywhere. What would you like us to do for you in the meantime?"

* * *

"So you're saying that tornado you created wasn't actual airbending?" Aang asked, after hearing a careful analysis of how Ranma had created a Hiryu Shoten Ha.

Ranma nodded. "Right. It was just chi manipulation, using your opponent's strength against them in place of your own."

"But I'm sure you do have airbending abilities. To find out for sure, we need to try something simple, a beginner lesson. Let's start with the exhale."

"Exhale?" Ranma repeated.

Aang nodded. "Yeah, for a normal person the easiest form of air manipulation is simply blowing your breath. A very minor manipulation, but one nonetheless. An airbender however can do more than merely blow out a candle or remove some dust. Watch."

Aang turned away and took a deep breath, like he was trying to burst his lungs, held it for a second, then exhaled with the force of a leafblower, maybe even stronger. The wind created nearly blew all the leaves off a tree he was aiming at, and Aang himself was pushed back a couple of inches from the recoil.

"That's the easiest part of airbending to learn, since anyone can breathe." Aang continued, not sounding the less bit winded by such an effort. "If you can do this, you can be a real airbender like me."

"Well what exactly do I do differently than anyone else?" Ranma asked.

"Oh yeah, almost forgot that." Aang said, then smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I've been airbending so long I sometimes forget not everyone can do it as naturally as me. Okay, do you know what jing is?"

"Jing?" Ranma repeated, unfamiliar with the word.

"Jing is the energy that makes bending possible. You probably know it best as chi, made by the body and influenced by the spirit and emotions. Jing is influenced by choices and actions instead. You create positive jing when you're attacking and negative jing when you're retreating, and apparently neutral jing when you do nothing."

"I think I get it. I know two techniques that basically make it where you reinforce your ki with a specific emotion, like confidence or depression."

"With jing, you don't use emotion, but intention." Aang continued. "Airbending is based on using negative jing. With it, we can move the air as we want. However, because it uses negative jing, airbending is primarily focused on defense and evasion. We have few offensive moves but we feel that all life is sacred so we don't believe in actually trying to kill anyone or anything."

'This kind of reminds me of the Umi-senken, a style that emphasized evasion and outmaneuvering the enemy rather than attacking them head on.' Ranma thought. Now that he had something familiar he could relate to, he felt more confident in this. "Alright, I think I get how this works. A good airbender is light on his feet, able to fight in mid-air, tough to hit, has fast reflexes, and does not try to kill his opponent."

Aang nodded. "That's exactly right."

Ranma smirked. "You got the right guy here then. You just described the basis of my family school."

"Then exhale as hard as you can at that tree." The bald monk said, encouraging the pigtailed teen even more.

Feeling like he could do a Moko Takabisha right now, Ranma faced the tree and took a deep breath, putting his chi into his lungs and throat in the process. It kind of hurt to do so, like he had inhaled too much, so he released the contained air. Normally there'd be no reaction at all given the distance between him and the tree, not even a leaf fluttering, at least not because of him. But this time, every leaf remaining fluttered like a brief gust had passed, but none had fallen off.

"You did it." Aang said.

"You sure?" Ranma asked. "I was kind of expecting the tree itself to fall over."

"Heh, what a rookie." Aang said with a laugh. "You breathe just once and you think you can chop down a tree? Wait until you build up your lung capacity before trying that. But still, you're an airbender like me."

Ranma grinned. 'Now this will be fun.'

* * *

"Now, I'm supposed to be teaching Twinkle Toes earthbending, but given you don't even seem to know what bending is you might need some tips first." Toph said to Shampoo while they stood under a cliff.

"Shampoo know what bending is. It moving things around you." Shampoo said, not a viewer of the tv show but able to figure out the concept of bending from the conversations held recently.

"Okay, why do you talk that way? Do you know how dumb you sound?" Toph asked.

"Shampoo not dumb. Just not speak language that well." Shampoo argued.

Toph shook her head. "Then learn. But for now, let's stick to earthbending. I'm positive it was you that moved that rock yesterday. This time do it again."

"And how Shampoo do that?"

"Okay, on second thought that speech impediment of yours has to go. It's annoying." The blind girl complained. "Repeat after me, hi my name is..."

Shampoo frowned, but decided not to protest. "Hi, my name is Shampoo."

"Again."

"Hi my name is Shampoo."

"Now say-"

Shampoo held up her hand. "Look, let's just drop this okay. I can speak this just fine alright. I just don't like making a habit of it."

"Make a habit of it?" Toph repeated confused.

"This isn't my native language. But back home we're required to learn it, ever since a foreigner who basically acted like hell on earth came by and did some things I don't know you well enough to tell you about. Since then we've all been required to know this tongue as a second language so we can be better prepared if that were to happen again or find him when we go out of the village."

Several people from China had come to Nerima over the past year. Cologne, Mousse, Pantyhose-Taro, Herb, Mint, Lime, Rouge, the bun-headed guys, and even some members of the Phoenix Tribe. All of them seemed to speak Japanese better than Shampoo could, and yet no one seemed to wonder why she was the one person who couldn't grasp the language so well.

The fact was she always could. The thing about it was Shampoo never really practiced it back home. Why would she? Chinese was her native language and she never thought she'd go to Japan when younger. When she did go to Japan she already knew the language but just had trouble remembering how to use it. Luckily she was better at understanding it than speaking it, so being talked to was never the problem. Talking back was.

As time went on in Nerima Shampoo took up practice again and got better. But at the same time she kept herself from speaking like a natural. She had rationalized it as wanting to stay closer to her roots rather than 'go native' in Nerima, then it just became habit to speak like she just barely knew how to.

"Well you better make a habit out of it, unless you want people to think you're some kind of yokel." Toph stated firmly.

'Better than 'Stupid Bimbo' like some have called me.' The purple-haired girl thought. "Fine. Now about this earth moving?"

"Earthbending. Sculpting the land itself to your wants and needs. And it's not as easy as it sounds. You're basically making rocks move on their own, and rock is a stubborn element. To earthbend, you have to be stubborn too. You have to be persistent, brave, and patient, able to wait and listen for the right time to act."

"That won't be a problem for me." Shampoo replied.

"Then prove it Yokel and make that rock move without touching it." Toph said smugly while pointing to a boulder in the area.

"Yokel?" Shampoo repeated, offended.

"Just do it." Toph ordered.

'Oh I'll do it, and crush you with it smartmouth.' Shampoo thought, looking at the boulder that came up to her chin in height. 'Maybe I should act like I'm attacking it from a distance, but act like I'm right next to it and it's light enough to not resist.'

Trying out her theory, the Chinese Amazon took up a stance and quickly thrust out one fist like she was hitting a wall intending to turn it to rubble, aiming for a boulder that was easily three meters away from her.

Nothing happened.

"C'mon! You did it last night you can do it again!" Toph almost yelled.

"You're the expert, what did I do wrong?" Shampoo asked, starting to get annoyed with the younger girl's attitude.

"You just did the motions. You had none of the intention behind them. It was like mouthing the words to a song. You put no effort, no jing into what you were doing."

"Jing?" Shampoo repeated, more familiar with the term than Ranma was since it did exist in China. In her culture, jing was literally power and energy. "How can I supposed to apply energy to the rock without touching it directly?"

"Don't think of the rock as a separate object. Instead, think of it as another piece of your own body, but one that's a little harder to get moving. Water, fire, and air will all do things on their own, but earth will stay still forever until something more powerful makes it. You have to be that more powerful thing."

"I can be that. I've shattered stone before more than once. But how do I do that without touching it?" Shampoo repeated.

Toph rubbed the bridge of her nose for a moment. "You know what chi is right?" Shampoo nodded. "Picture that connecting you to the ground and the rocks around you. Making them and you one, and with that connection you can bend the rocks to your will. Think you can do that?"

"Using chi as the medium? Why didn't you just say so?" Shampoo complained. "I would have gotten it done right the first time had you just told me that."

"Then get it right now." The blind girl challenged.

Shampoo looked back at the boulder, this time imagining a chi connection like instructed. Sure, she didn't have any chi attacks like Ranma or Ryoga did, but she was capable of using it like most Neriman martial artists could. Even Akane could, by putting it into her arms and fists to break bricks without shattering her bones. This time, Shampoo wasn't focusing her chi within her body but within the surroundings, aiming for the boulder.

Once she felt connected, she repeated the motion she had done before.

It still did not work.

"What's wrong with you Yokel? Can't you even stand up to a pebble?" Toph chewed out, stomping up to the Chinese Amazon.

Shampoo glared, refusing to be pushed around. "Who do you think you are? You may be good at pushing rocks around, but you're still just a little brat that doesn't even have a chest yet! I will not be talked down to like this by a child!"

To her surprise, Toph grinned. "Now you're talking like an earthbender. You don't get to be an earthbender just by putting chi into a rock. You got to be as tough as a rock yourself, able to stand up to anything thrown at you. Now, do it again."

Acting solely on instinct, Shampoo thrust a fist, but it wasn't the boulder she was trying to move. It was the ground Toph was standing on, and it actually responded to her. Ever aware of the ground she stood on, Toph calmly jumped to the side just before a pillar jutted out from where she last stood.

"As I thought, you can earthbend." Toph said, sounding surprisingly satisfied with the attempted attack on her. "Now, you want to do something better than simply push rocks around?"

"Like what?" Shampoo asked, a bit satisfied herself in accomplishing this.

Toph stomped a foot on the ground and beside her emerged a statue that looked like Azula but a more comedic version of the Fire Princess. Then Toph hit the statue with her fist, not bothering to even turn to her sculpture, and shattering it just as easily as she created it.

"Fighting with earthbending." The former wrestler said with a shit-eating grin.

Shampoo returned the grin. "Don't think I'll go easy on you." She didn't expect to win anyway, she was fighting with a style she was completely new to against someone who was an expert with it. Toph wouldn't be challenged by her even if the blind girl only used her left hand to earthbend. But winning wasn't Shampoo's intention, learning was.

"Bring it on Yokel." Toph challenged.

* * *

Night came and everyone camped out, each hoping that Azula wouldn't find them again. Several fruits and some fish had been gathered by Katara, Sokka, and Kasumi, though Sokka was upset he couldn't get some actual meat. There hadn't been any animals in the area.

"So how did it go?" Kasumi asked to get some conversation going while everyone ate.

"Pretty good. I was able to get some airbending down." Ranma said proudly.

"He's nowhere near my level yet, but with time he could be." Aang noted.

"Hold on Twinkle Toes, tomorrow I'm getting you started on earthbending." Toph interjected. "Yokel and Airhead here can practice on their own tomorrow."

"What did you just say?" Ranma asked, offended.

"Calm down Ranma, Toph just tends to give people nicknames. Nothing to be bothered by." Kasumi reassured. "Besides, she's right. Aang needs to learn earthbending and you've already got enough to work on your own."

"Alright. Anyway, what did you do all day Kasumi?" He asked.

"Nothing much." She said, not sure what to say since usually no one ever asked what she did with her day. Usually there was no need to ask her since she did the same thing each day.

"You mean you didn't try to learn waterbending or anything?" Ranma asked. "You were around a waterbender all day and never thought to try?"

"She says she has no reason to believe she can." Katara answered.

"I had no reason to believe I could airbend before today. Yet here I can." Ranma countered.

"But Ranma, I'm no martial artist." Kasumi reminded him.

"You know more about bending than me or Shampoo do. If anyone of the three of us should be able to it's you. Why not try just to see?" Ranma offered.

Shampoo nodded. "Yes, why not?"

Kasumi blinked. 'Could he be right? A magic ticket brought us here, could it be possible all of us became benders in the process?' She wasn't sure what to think, but she had to admit if she could bend that would be exciting. 'If we all can bend, we won't hold this group back from their goal. We could even help them win. I could be a part of saving a world. I could be a hero.'

Kasumi grinned. "Alright, I'll try some lessons tomorrow. Who knows, I might even get to be an even better bender than you Ranma."

Ranma and Shampoo both froze, looking at the oldest Tendo daughter like she had burst into flames. 'Did Kasumi just challenge me?' Ranma thought, prepared for many challenges but not one like this.

"Like you, said, I know more about bending than you do." She added just to tease him a little.

"Yeah well I'm a quick learner. I bet I can have all four elements learned before you master just one." Ranma proclaimed, reasserting himself.

"Actually Ranma, you can only learn one element." Aang corrected. "The Avatar is the only person in the world who can learn even two types of bending, let alone all four. Everyone else is stuck with just one."

"How do you know for sure? Has anyone else ever tried?" Ranma asked.

"The Avatar's been part of all four cultures and around for thousands of years. You really think in all that time no one ever got the idea to see if others could have that kind of power?" Katara asked.

"Well I'm not from this world. For all you know I _can_ learn all four." Ranma protested.

"You can't." Katara told him.

"It's not that big a deal you can't." Aang reassured.

Ranma frowned. "I don't believe in impossible. I promise you before long I will be able to bend anything and everything like an avatar."

'Ranma's not going to listen to reason, he's determined to see for himself if he can do this. Until he tries and fails, or somehow succeeds, he's not going heed any warning.' Kasumi thought. 'Might as well let him learn the hard way.'

"Just focus on more airbending tomorrow while Sifu Toph shows me earthbending." Aang requested.

"Hope you're ready." Shampoo said under her breath.

"Why didn't you ever call me Sifu Katara?" The Water Tribe girl asked.

"Oh, you think I should?" The bald monk asked, having never used the title since he thought of Katara as a friend before a teacher and she was still a student herself. Toph was leagues ahead in terms of bending despite being younger so the term of respect just felt undeniably fitting to him.

"It's not important." Katara said, looking away and practically attacking her food now as she bit into it.

'A boy and a girl argue yet there's no name calling, hitting, or extorting of any kind. Almost forgot what that was like.' Ranma thought, observing the scuffle. 'This world is full of surprises for me. I think I'm going to like it here. Maybe this time I can actually be happy.' He briefly glanced at Shampoo, who looked at him then smiled, before turning his eyes back to his own food. 'Though I will have to set things straight with her first. And hopefully find Ryoga again so he doesn't get lost here. He's got nowhere to go in this world.'

"Could I have some water to drink?" Kasumi politely requested.

"Sure." Katara said, popping the cork on a waterskin she kept on her not for bending but for simple drinking water, and controlled the liquid within by merely waving her hand around. A decent blob of water formed and floated, passing over Ranma and Shampoo in the process.

"Hey be careful with that!" Ranma said loudly, not wanting it to spill all over him.

"What's wrong? Afraid of water?" Sokka asked, somewhat mockingly.

"I just don't like being wet." Ranma answered, not wanting to admit anything about the curse.

"Big deal, I used some water to help heal you last night and you didn't complain then." Katara said, annoyed, while Kasumi was able to collect the water in an earthen bowl Toph sculpted for her to drink from.

"Wait, you're right." Kasumi thought out loud, withholding drinking for a moment. "Ranma, water was used on you last night. I didn't notice at the time, but..."

Ranma and Shampoo were wide-eyed and nearly dropped their food before looking at each other. "Could... could it be...?" Shampoo asked, not sure what to say. Ranma was just as dumbstruck by the implication.

"What's the big deal?" Toph asked on behalf of those unaware of Jusenkyo curses.

"I have to go test something now." Ranma said, getting up and running off to a river.

"Me too." Shampoo said, following him.

"Seriously what is up with them?" Sokka asked Kasumi who stayed behind.

"It's... complicated." was all the homemaker could say.

"Then uncomplicate it." Sokka insisted.

"_Very _complicated." Kasumi emphasized, not wanting to basically expose Ranma and Shampoo's secret. It was theirs to confess, not hers, and right now there was no guarantee it was even important anymore.

* * *

Once the two martial artists found a slow creek, one that had a lot of reeds growing at the banks, they knelt down and swiftly cupped some water in their hands before splashing it in their faces like they were trying to wash themselves. They wanted to see what happened so much what happened that neither one was thinking about Shampoo turning into a cat or how Ranma would react to it.

They felt the water and awaited the feeling of their bodies changing that was really hard to describe to someone who didn't have a curse of their own. Describing the sensation of transforming, however brief it was, was like describing color to the blind or music to the deaf; you just couldn't do it justice.

The sensation this time, it never came.

Ranma and Shampoo looked at each other, in disbelief, but still in their natural forms. Wet, but still man and woman.

"We're cured?" Ranma said.

Shampoo tried it again, and still remained human. "We're cured." She said once it truly sank in.

Most people would be asking how, but those are the people who aren't cursed to begin with. For them, the details weren't important immediately, the results were.

"We're cured! We're cured!" Ranma said, jumping to his feet and practically bouncing with joy, pumping his fists in the air. Shampoo jumped up too and hugged him, and he was so caught up in the moment he hugged back and spun her around. The two were just so happy to no longer be stuck with a lifelong identity crisis and built-in water hazard.

Of course the ecstasy of the moment had to die down, and when it did Ranma quickly noticed that he and Shampoo were still holding each other.

"Shampoo, we need to talk."


	5. Tension Among the Newcomers

****Legends of the Four Masters  
****__#05—Tension Among the Newcomers__

"Shampoo, we need to talk."

"What about Airen?" Shampoo asked, slipping back into her broken speech habit.

"First thing I have to do is ask you, do you know how to get back home?" Ranma asked.

Shampoo shook her head. "Shampoo just thought ticket get us into theater. Not know this happen. Shampoo no try trick Airen or anything."

Ranma tried to let go of the Chinese girl but she was in no hurry to relinquish her hug on him. Knowing from experience how hard it was to escape Shampoo's embrace Ranma just let himself stay there rather than risk losing the chance to say what was on his mind.

"I don't blame you for this Shampoo. If anyone is to blame it's Ryoga for tearing the ticket like that. But the thing is you're the only one who knew about the ticket and you don't know how we can leave this world right?"

Shampoo nodded solemnly. "Airen think... maybe we never go home?"

"I really hope not, but until we can think of a way I don't think we should act like we're only here temporarily. It's like this one thing Pop said in the few times his advice made sense, if you can't escape you might as well get comfortable." Ranma claimed.

'We could be here forever.' Shampoo thought in her native tongue, then silently gasped when a thought came to her. "Airen, what that mean for us?" She asked in Japanese again, trying not to sound too forceful yet unable to withhold all hope from her voice.

Ranma paused for a bit. "I knew you'd say that. Give me a minute, I'm not good with words you know."

The purple-haired girl nodded. "Can Shampoo say something first to help?"

Ranma nodded. "Sure, that might help."

Shampoo then released the pigtailed boy and stepped back, hands behind her back as she tried to compose herself. "Airen, like you said we do not know how to get home right now. With the ticket not what we thought is was, it might not even be possible. I think we _should_ try to find a way back, but until we can we should accept the fact that we are here."

Ranma's eyes were pretty wide to hear his second fiancee speak so clearly. "Shampoo since when could you-?"

"I'll explain that later, right now just hear me out please?" She cut him off, and he nodded, too curious about what she could say to argue anything. "Now, we both know I am very interested in being your wife right?" He nodded again. "You don't have to give me an answer right now. Honestly, this is a bad time to give me any answer. We should wait until we've gotten used to being here to actually have a proper discussion over our relationship. Is that okay with you?"

"Actually that's perfect." Ranma said. 'That's exactly what I was going to ask her.'

Shampoo grinned. "I can wait, but I'm not going to wait forever. At some point you and I need to have this talk. We need to know what we are and where we stand with each other. Because honestly, even I don't know what we are anymore."

"What do you mean?" Ranma asked, confused. 'She's always acted so certain before. No doubt in her mind what we were supposed to be, to her at least. Why doubt now?'

The Chinese Amazon looked away, almost like she was ashamed. "I'm not sure how to explain it. Let's just focus on this for now. We both need some time to figure some things out while we're here. I'm not going to try and force you to decide anything, but can I say a few things before you make any decisions?"

Ranma nodded, certain that this is what Shampoo had been wanting to do since the beginning and just had to make a few other things clear first.

"I know you don't love me, and I know right now you don't _want_ to love me. You want to love Akane, you want to get back to her, and until you're convinced we can never go home again you don't want to give someone like me the chance to take her place." The teen girl said, sounding like it hurt to admit but not like she was in denial. "I can't ask you to not do this. I can't ask you to forget about her."

'I think I'd resent you if you did.' Ranma thought to himself.

"I cannot ask you to just give your heart to me, but there is something I _can_ ask." Shampoo continued, looking at him with hope and hesitation. "I want you to get to know the real me while we're here, not the Amazon who worked in a ramen shop, but the real Shampoo. And I want to get to know the real you, not just the man who hates to lose. The real Ranma Saotome, the one you tried to let Akane see and befriend."

"What do you mean? I've always been myself around everyone." Ranma objected, confused.

"Then you can keep doing it right? Especially now that you have no reason to be afraid of me." Shampoo claimed. "You aren't still afraid of me, are you Airen?"

"Well, it's a good thing you can't become a cat anymore." He stated as if trying to lift the mood.

'He is, he's a little afraid of me.' Shampoo realized, not liking it but seeing it in his face and words. 'He still can't help but think I'm going to cause him trouble. He's guarded, afraid that being around me too long will somehow make something bad happen to him. How do I make him feel safe around me?'

After a few seconds, an idea came to her. 'Risky, but worth a try.'

Being careful, the Chinese girl simply and calmly wrapped her arms around the Japanese boy and gave him a soothing hug, resting her head against his chest and closing her eyes. Ranma tensed, paranoia ingrained into him regarding what came next whenever a female touched him, but like most times he didn't actually try to make Shampoo let go of him.

After a little bit, Shampoo released the hug and simply looked into his eyes for a bit, giving him a look that silently said 'I will not hurt you'. Then she got up and walked back to their little camp, never saying a word to him.

'What was that?' Ranma asked himself, perplexed by the Amazon's actions. He also couldn't help but be worried that someone would come up and hit him for being hugged by her, but such an act never happened. 'What does she want? Why did she say she wants to know the real me? When have I ever been anything else? I mean, yeah I never really tried to get close to her, but that was because I had too much to deal with already.'

'Then again, that's not an issue here now is it?' He quickly asked himself, almost surprised he even did. He shook his head before the thought could go any further. 'Never mind. I'm not going to start trying to replace Akane with Shampoo just one day after being gone. How can I have any honor if I do that?'

He stretched a little just to give his body something to do then started walking back to the camp too. 'Then again, there's nothing dishonorable about being on good terms with her while we're here.'

* * *

"Welcome back Shampoo. I take it the issue is no longer a problem?" Kasumi greeted when a very human Shampoo returned to the camp. Ranma wasn't there, which confused Kasumi for a moment, but she would let the purple-haired girl explain if she had to.

Shampoo nodded and sat back down in her original spot with a polite but satisfied smile. "Yes, the problem is gone."

"What problem? You got more than just bad grammar?" Toph asked.

"It's no big deal anymore. It's gone now and so there's no reason to mention it." Shampoo told the young blind girl.

Kasumi blinked. "Shampoo, when did your speaking skills improve?"

"Yeah, I'm curious about that too." Ranma added when he came up and sat down in his original spot too.

"Fact is, I was taught how to speak this language since I was young. Ever since that little creep Happosai came to Joketsuzoku, it's been common for us to learn this language so if he or others like him came back we'd be prepared. And of course Great-grandmother would teach me. I just never cared to use it regularly. By the time Airen showed up at my home I was too out of practice to hold even a weak conversation."

"Well, it might help to use it more regularly while we're here." Kasumi suggested. "Speaking of which, I've been wondering something. I can accept that the ticket brought the three of us here, but why did it bring Ryoga too? He wasn't in the room with us. I don't think he was even in the house."

Ranma and Shampoo tensed, Ranma especially, trying to think of some way to get out of the only answer he could give. And of course, there was no other answer he could reach. "Kasumi, could you come with me for a moment?"

The homemaker looked confused, but nodded and rose to her feet.

"Another private meeting?" Sokka asked. He was ignored and Ranma and Kasumi went off to be unheard while the former spoke. "This isn't going to be a habit of the three of you is it?" He asked Shampoo.

"I don't think so. But this... this I got a bad feeling about." The Amazon said, getting up and heading where the other two had gone, staying behind them so she wouldn't encroach on them.

"Yeah, that's going to make me feel better." Sokka could be heard commenting as she left.

Ranma took Kasumi back to the stream where he and Shampoo had tested their curses, mainly because it was the only place he could think of. "Kasumi, Ryoga was there in the room when the ticket was torn." He said when they came to a stop, Kasumi's back to the stream and Ranma facing her.

"He broke in?" She asked. "You saw him while fighting off Akane's pet pig?"

Ranma shook his head. "This isn't easy for me to admit. Kasumi, Akane's pet pig _is_ Ryoga."

"Ryoga is Akane's pet?" She asked, and Ranma nodded. "He's cursed like you and Shampoo were?" Ranma nodded again. "And Akane doesn't know?" Ranma nodded again.

Then Kasumi did something rather unexpected. She frowned. "How long have _you_ known?"

Ranma blinked. "Uh... well I didn't know when Ryoga first showed up in Nerima. Back when we were fighting over bread and before Akane's hair got cut. But I _did_ find out the same night Akane found him as a pig. She didn't find out because she never saw him transform."

"But you did?" Kasumi asked.

The pigtailed boy nodded. "She asked me to give him a bath, you can guess what happened next."

The eldest Tendo daughter nodded, easily able to deduce what would have transpired at that point if her sister never learned the truth. "You've known all that time... and you never once told Akane that her pet was actually a boy who was possibly seeing and hearing things she wanted kept private?"

"It's not like I _wanted_ to keep it a secret. I-"

"Don't give me that Ranma." Kasumi interjected. "You had a choice and you chose wrong."

Ranma looked like the nicest girl he knew just slapped him. "Kasumi I-"

"No Ranma, don't you dare. Don't you dare try to justify yourself here." Kasumi continued, looking like Ranma had finally discovered the sore spot this girl had that would trigger anger in her. "You knew what Akane was doing and what Ryoga was doing. You knew and you had a responsibility to your fiancee to defend her from having her privacy invaded." At that Kasumi clenched a fist. "Yet you chose to do nothing. Nothing! You might as well have let Ryoga rape her!"

Ranma jerked, surprised at the attitude of the normally quiet homemaker. "But Kasu-"

"Not one word out of you Ranma! Not one word!" The oldest Tendo daughter insisted, stomping her foot while some waves started forming in the creek behind her. "I thought you were better than this! I thought no matter what you'd make sure Akane was safe! But apparently I was wrong! Maybe she's better off without you!"

"Hold on one minute here!" Shampoo yelled, coming into view and deciding she wasn't going to silently eavesdrop anymore. She was frowning and practically stomping. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"You stay out of this Shampoo! This isn't any of your business!" Kasumi claimed, the stream appearing to splash within itself now but no one other than Shampoo was even looking at it right now.

"Then how is it yours?" The Amazon tested, remembering the principles of earthbending in case she'd have to use it here. 'Wait and listen, and strike when you have the right moment. Applies to verbal fights too instead of just physical ones. And while I don't want to have to drag this girl into a physical fight, if she makes the first move I've got no problem making the second.'

"If it affects my sister then it is my business." Kasumi answered.

"Then if it involves Ranma it's my business too." Shampoo countered. "Besides, since when have you cared about what happens to your sister?"

Kasumi jerked and looked like she was the one who got slapped. "Excuse me?"

"Shampoo that was too harsh." Ranma said, also surprised at the audacity of that claim. Who in their right mind would claim Kasumi didn't care about her family?

"Is it? Think about it Airen, do you think Kasumi is unaware of what Nabiki does to you and Akane? If she didn't know, then she doesn't care enough about what her sisters do to pay attention to them. And if she did know, then she didn't care enough about it to stop it. Especially considering that what Nabiki was doing could legally count as selling child pornography."

Ranma blanched, not sure what to say or think.

Kasumi however was livid. "How dare you! I was neither of those!"

"You cannot have it both ways!" Shampoo declared. "Either you knew what one sister was doing to the other but didn't care or you didn't care enough _to_ know! Which is it Kasumi?"

"I knew what Nabiki was doing, but I had my reasons for staying out of it." Kasumi answered.

Shampoo put her hands on her hips. "Doesn't matter, if Ranma can't justify his choices you can't either. You can't say you have the right to justify bad choices but he doesn't."

"What Nabiki did was harmless. What Ranma did was terrible." Kasumi claimed.

"Harmless?" Ranma repeated. "Nabiki was invading Akane's privacy long before Ryoga was, and she was selling what she learned to dozens of boys including one who said he'd rape me if he could. And you actually think it's okay for her to do that?"

"I-" Kasumi started.

"No Kasumi, I gotta side with Shampoo on this." Ranma cut her off. "You can't say it's okay for you to let Nabiki take advantage of Akane but it was wrong of me to not tell her about Ryoga. Unless you actually bother to hear my reasons, I don't want to hear yours."

"Fine, then go ahead Ranma and justify why you let another man sleep in my sister's bed without her knowing it." Kasumi said, sounding like she didn't believe she'd accept his reasons.

Shampoo glanced at the stream. 'The water's settling.'

"Akane wasn't the only person I didn't tell. I never told you or the others right?" He started, and she nodded. "I told no one about his curse. No one. Why should I have? I didn't want to tell you guys about my own curse, I didn't even tell Shampoo until there was no way out of it. How can you expect me to just tell everyone about Ryoga's curse then? Especially if this is how you'd react."

"What are you talking about?" Kasumi asked, confused.

"You never get angry, and yet here you are giving me crap over something. What is it about this one thing that is getting you angry when nothing else does? What exactly are you so upset about?"

"I'm upset because I thought you were better than that Ranma. You always say how important honor is to you, yet some boy was taking advantage of Akane's honor and you weren't doing anything about it."

"Why do you think I always tried to keep Ryoga and P-chan away from Akane?" Ranma asked.

Kasumi paused for a bit, reflecting on those memories with this in mind. "Alright, in that context I can see what you're saying. But it wasn't enough. You dishonored Akane."

"So did Nabiki." Ranma pointed out. "But there's a reason I never came out and said anything. As a martial artist, it's not honorable to go around telling others about the weaknesses of others. Remember how Gosunkugi spied on me then went right to Kuno to tell him about my fear of cats? If I told you guys how Ryoga turned into a helpless piglet how would I have been any different?"

"You still should have told us." Kasumi insisted, seeing his points but not conceding that he was right to have them.

"Kasumi, what are you more upset about? That I didn't tell anyone, or that you _needed_ to _be_ told?" Ranma asked.

"Pardon?" she asked, confused again.

"I never said anything, but you never even suspected what was going on. You were as clueless as Akane still is. Is that why you're so peeved? That this was happening in your house and you didn't know?"

Kasumi blinked. 'Honestly, yes that is part of why I'm cross. How could this go on for so long without any of us noticing, even me? I feel like I failed my sister there, and so did Ranma.'

"Ranma, I can understand why you didn't go around telling everyone, but why couldn't you at least tell just Akane? I thought your sense of honor would prevent you from letting someone else hurt her."

"Because if I can bend my honor to tell just one person, where do I draw the line? You want me to be like my old man who picks and chooses when he wants honor to apply?"

"Umm..." Kasumi wasn't sure what to say. Even if she ignored the jab at Genma, Ranma's point at when honor applied was too good to argue. Was he supposed to pick and choose when to be honorable? Was he supposed to go against what he believes is right just because someone else had a different opinion?

Kasumi sighed, most of her anger leaving her. "You're right Ranma. I may not like what you chose, but it was your choice to make and you had your own reasons. It was wrong of me to focus only on what you did, not giving any consideration to why you did it."

"Guess you really are Akane's sister after all." Shampoo noted.

Kasumi gave Shampoo a look that showed she didn't approve of that, then looked back to Ranma. "Also Ranma, I don't want you getting any ideas about being unfaithful to Akane while we're here."

Ranma frowned. "I didn't intend to, that's even something I tried to make clear to Shampoo a bit ago. But you know what? Since you said you think Akane's better off without me, maybe I should rethink that."

Kasumi's eyes widened, and Shampoo had the decency to not look overjoyed. "You can't be serious Ranma." Kasumi stated.

"Why not Kasumi? It's okay for you to say me and Akane shouldn't be together but I can't say the same? I can't believe what I'm about to say, but you're a hypocrite Kasumi."

"A hypocrite?" Kasumi repeated.

"You kind of are being one." Shampoo agreed.

"Let's just stop here, alright?" Kasumi asked, looking to Ranma. "We both made choices about what to do regarding Akane and we've both done things others could call mistakes. Instead of trying to find the one person to blame the most, why don't we just both admit we're both guilty of something?"

Ranma nodded. "I can accept that."

"Good, so let's go back." Kasumi offered, and the two younger teens nodded.

They turned, and they heard some rustling in the plants, making them stop. Ranma frowned and swung an arm, creating a sweeping breeze that went right at the plants and resulted in an 'oomph' sound coming from them.

"Who's there?" Shampoo called out, taking out one of her chui.

Coming out of the bushes was Sokka rubbing his head and looking in pain. "What was that for?"

"How much did you hear?" Ranma asked.

"Not everything, and I barely understood what I did hear, but I can tell that there's a lot of messed up stuff between you three." Sokka replied. "Look, I'm not going to tell you guys what you should do about your problems. I just need to know that you're not going to be bringing problems into my group. We have enough problems on our own, we don't need more."

"We don't want to bring our problems into your group. That's why we're trying to get some kind of resolution to them now." Kasumi told Sokka. "Though we don't appreciate your spying even if it had good intentions. We're not Jet after all."

"Sorry, but we're dealing with a war and we can't all be as trusting as my sister is." The Water Tribe boy replied.

"Good thinking." Shampoo said, then stretched as if tired. "Now, if you don't mind I want to get back to having a peaceful dinner without people at each others throats."

"Sounds good." Ranma agreed, and walked alongside the Amazon back to the campsite.

'I guess being here can't be all fun.' Kasumi told herself, walking behind them. 'But maybe now we can focus on the real crisis rather than petty ones. Though next time we see Ryoga, I don't think I'll ask Ranma to not fight him.'

* * *

Ryoga came to a stop atop a tree stump, sounding exhausted as he sat down. "I need to find a town and soon. I'm not going to last much longer out here like this."

"What troubles you young man?" A kind but older voice said from one of Ryoga's blind spots. The teen turned and saw a shadow from behind a tree that wasn't attached to the tree itself. Judging from the shape, a person was hunched over, possibly trying to hide. If so, they weren't doing a good job by talking to him.

"Who's there?" Ryoga asked.

"Just a simple old man trying to figure out if this plant's poisonous or not." The voice, a man who sounded old enough to be his father, replied. "I must admit botany isn't my best subject."

"Well I'm no stranger to poisonous plants on my travels, let me take a look." Ryoga offered, getting up and moving to behind the tree. He saw the man, grey and bald on top but not anywhere else on his head, dressed in a simple brown outfit not unlike a kimono, who was crouched down in a squatting position staring at some flowers on a shrub.

The old man looked at Ryoga and gave a friendly grin. "Hello there. Are you a fellow travelers of the road of life?"

"You could say that. Thing is all my supplies are gone and I'm lost and broke, unable to regain more." Ryoga explained.

When he appeared in the Earth Kingdom Ryoga had nothing, not even the clothes on his back. A quick use of the physics-defying pocket dimension so many martial artists employed allowed him to fix that, but the problem was it fixed only that. Ryoga's travel gear, even his umbrella, was all back in his original world. Sure he was no stranger to roughing it in the wilderness, but complete deprivation of all his supplies would not make it any easier.

"I've been there. Fortunately the road of life has many places along the way to assist those who wish to continue forward." The old man said, looking back at the shrub. "I'd recommend some tea to help take your mind off your troubles, only problem is I'm not sure if this flower is for tea or not. After the last time I dealt with a white jade bush I'd rather not make the same mistake."

"Sorry, I've never thought about making tea from scratch like that. Can't help you." Ryoga said. "But if I had to say something, I'd say if you can't be sure, you're better off not using it."

"Maybe, but if it's safe then it would be a shame to waste it."

Ryoga gave an 'Are you serious?' look that the old man didn't see. "Are you so desperate for tea you're willing to risk poisoning yourself? Even after admitting it wouldn't be the first time you've done that?"

"I'm not desperate, merely enthusiastic." The old man claimed.

'Maybe addicted too.' Ryoga thought. "Tell you what, if you can ignore this I'll keep you safe while you try to find a place that sells real and safe tea to drink." It was all he really had to offer the old man anyway.

The old man looked at the teen with a smile. "That's nice of you. I'm not the defense old man I appear to be, but I do have enemies that would love to get a piece of me so I would appreciate the help and the company." He then stood up. "Alright. Where is the nearest town?"

"I... was hoping you knew. I'm not exactly good with directions." Ryoga admitted.

"There's no shame in having a lack of talent in something. Only a perfectionist trying to drive themselves insane would think they have to be good at everything. I have a niece who seems like such a perfectionist, and a nephew that fortunately has more humility than her even if he hates himself for having it."

"All we can do then is keep walking and hope to find a town." Ryoga said.

The old man nodded. "Then let's be on our way. Oh, where are my manners? I'm Iroh."

"Ryoga."

The two started walking off, both unknowingly going back the direction Ryoga had originally come from.


	6. Dual Flames

****Legends of the Four Masters  
****__#06—Dual Flames__

"Azula, for all we know the Avatar is on the other side of the continent now." Mai said to the leader of the trio of girls as they stood inside the ghost town Aang and briefly encountered Zuko in while creating a fake fur trail.

"Then we'll go to the other side of the continent if that's what it takes." Azula said, heading east. "We will succeed where my brother failed."

"And I thought sibling rivalry was bad in my family." Ty Lee joked quietly, with only Mai hearing it.

"Do you even have a lead anymore?" Mai asked.

"One of the trails of the Avatar's group led here, and if you look at the ground you can see tracks that look rather too fresh for an abandoned town."

Ty Lee and Mai looked at the ground and indeed saw fresh tracks.

"Yeah, but those are bird prints and last time I looked they used a bison." Mai pointed out.

"Which means someone else was here recently who saw the Avatar's group, and likely saw where they went." Azula commented.

"Well, that's a start if nothing else." Ty Lee mused. "So follow the tracks and we'll get another clue of where to go?"

"That's what I'm thinking." The Fire Princess said with a grin.

* * *

"So this place is called the Earth Kingdom?" Ryoga asked as they walked down a dirt path in a prairie in the early night, looking for a campground since they had yet to find a village. In the distance one could see creatures that looked like goats with deer antlers grazing and birds that looked like owls with cat faces flew around trying to catch their prey.

"Yes, though I don't know what this particular part of it is called. How can you not know that?" Iroh asked.

"How do you not know what part this is?" Ryoga asked back.

Iroh smiled. "Touche young man. Though I don't mind not knowing the name. I don't need to know the name of a painting to appreciate it's beauty or enjoy the flavor of a new tea."

"Oh I agree, but it would help to know where we are." Ryoga thought. 'This is just like the show Kasumi was watching. And now that I think about it, this guy was one of the characters. Somehow that ticket Ranma had took me into the show.' His eyes darted to his pocket where half of that ticket was kept. 'If I get lost here I may never stop being lost. Hell, I may lose any chance of ever getting back to Japan. I need to find Ranma, and I need help to do that.'

"That depends on where you're trying to go. Are you looking for something?" Iroh asked.

"More like someone." The bandanna-wearing boy replied.

"Ooh, a girl?" The old man asked semi-teasingly.

"No, a boy." Ryoga corrected.

Iroh blinked. "Well, who am I to judge?"

"What? Oh no, dear lord no nothing like that!" The teen said once he realized how that sounded. "I want to find him because even though he's my enemy, he might be my only way of getting back home. And for the record, there are two girls I like."

"In my experience, you don't need to go looking for enemies, they find their way to you." Iroh said sagely. "I want to ask why he's your enemy, but I must admit the story of the girls would probably be nicer to hear."

"I don't see how either is your business." Ryoga remarked, kicking a pebble.

"I admit neither are, but we have nothing to do for now except talk so why not talk about something?" Iroh asked.

Ryoga sighed. "Fair enough. It basically started when we were kids fighting over bread at our school. At the time everyone there fought to get food and whenever I tried he'd snatch it away from me. Every single time."

"Kids will be kids." Iroh pointed out.

"Well that kid kept showing off, and I got sick of it. I told him that if he thought he was so good then he and I should have a fight to prove it."

"And this would help you get more food how?" Iroh asked.

"What do you mean?" Ryoga asked back.

"What was the point of the fight? Did you set up any terms to it?"

"Umm..." Ryoga thought back, and couldn't say for sure if they had. "It was implied."

"What was implied?" Iroh tested.

"That he wasn't such a hotshot."

Iroh looked disappointed. "So this had nothing to do with school lunches but rather you simply trying to raise your own self esteem at the expense of his?"

"No that's not what it was about." Ryoga insisted.

"Then tell me what you expected to have happen after it was over. Did you think he was going to start letting you have the food instead?"

"Umm..." Ryoga had to think back again. 'I remember telling Ranma I wanted to fight with him and told him where we would do it and when, but I don't remember if either of us bothered to say what the loser owed the winner. Back then I didn't think Ranma would uphold his end if he lost, so maybe I didn't bother.'

"I didn't think there was a point to it." He admitted.

"So you admit that the entire reason you wanted a fight in the first place was pointless?" Iroh clarified.

"No, it wasn't." Ryoga tried to defend.

"Then why did you want a fight?" Iroh asked again.

"I... it's just... I wanted to wipe that smug smirk off his face. I wanted to show him he's not unbeatable."

Iroh crossed his arms and stopped walking, making Ryoga stop in his tracks too. "So you wanted to beat up someone else in combat simply to prove that you could?"

"What does it matter what I wanted at the time? Like you said, kids will be kids and I never got to have the fight anyway. I showed up late and he was gone like the coward he is." Ryoga claimed, trying to shift the direction of the discussion.

"How late were you?" Iroh asked.

"... four days." Ryoga shamefully confessed.

"You showed up _four days_ after the fight? A fight that by your own admission _you_ asked for and _you_ picked the time and place of? And you say _he's_ the one who should be disgraced for not being there?" The former general of the Fire Army asked, finding this most baffling.

"He is. He should have waited for me." Ryoga insisted.

"What if the roles had been reversed? What if you were on time and _he_ took four days to show up? Would you have stayed there waiting for him?"

"That's not the point."

"It _is_ the point. You cannot accuse someone of being dishonorable if you would have done nothing different in their place." Iroh proclaimed. "Ryoga, maybe this enemy of yours does need to learn some humility, but he's certainly not going to learn any from you if you yourself don't even know any humility."

"He's the one that needs to be humbled. Not me" Ryoga declared.

"You can't teach what you yourself don't know." Iroh told him.

"Who said I wanted to teach him anything?! I just wanted to kick his ass!" Ryoga yelled.

"Then you're nothing but a bully." Iroh said sternly but without raising his voice.

"I am not!" The lost boy defended.

Iroh shook his head. "You seek violence for violence's sake, you have no constructive rhyme or reason to your intentions, your fights have no purpose other than self-satisfaction, and you justify yourself by claiming your victim deserves whatever you do to him. In what way are you _not_ a bully?"

"I'm _his_ victim, not the other way around." Ryoga stated, putting his hand on his chest to emphasize his reference to himself.

"Most bullies claim they're victims of something in one way or the other." Iroh said with an unsympathetic shrug. "Besides, you claimed the food didn't matter so you can't use it as an excuse."

"I'm not. I suffered in other ways because of him."

"Such as?"

"We never got to settle the issue because he moved away before I could find him again. I tracked him down but it took me four years to get to him again. Four long lonely years. I never saw my family, my home, got a chance to finish school or get a girlfriend. I got pushed off cliffs, trampled by livestock, nearly killed and drowned, attacked by wild animals, humiliated over and over again, all because of him."

The old man was silent and Ryoga thought he had finally convinced him that he was the one who had been right all along.

"And all this happened because you tried to find him?" Iroh asked, and got a nod for an answer. "And you weren't forced to do this?"

"Of course I was forced to. He left town." Ryoga claimed.

"And you followed him because...?" Iroh asked, waving his hand to encourage the boy to get to his point.

"Just because I was late and he left didn't mean the issue was solved. We needed resolution."

"You mean _you_ needed resolution." Iroh corrected.

"Yeah, so what?"

"Your suffering is your own fault, not his."

Ryoga growled and small flames came out the corners of his mouth like a dragon.

Iroh arched an eyebrow at this. "You're a firebender?"

"What? Wait, is that what I've been doing lately? Firebending?" Ryoga asked.

"So you're a firebender but you're uneducated about it? Well, this explains your preference for taking action and desire for power but your lack of foresight regarding the consequences. Right now you're like someone who can start a fire but doesn't know what to do with it. With proper guidance you can do a lot."

"And you can help me?" Ryoga asked. "Why would you do that if you disapprove of all my choices?"

"You remind me of my nephew when he was in a bad place in his life. He kept thinking his life was just one big tragedy after another and the only way to make it better was to overpower one other person. And the journey to do so has taken him several years, during which he's barely bothered to do anything else."

"Sounds like someone I can relate to." The lost boy claimed.

Iroh nodded. "To some extent yes, but there's a big difference between the two of you. He's not a bully."

"I'm not either." Ryoga insisted again.

"Okay, let's say you aren't. But what's the point of beating your rival? What good is it going to do you? At least with my nephew there's a purpose to his pursuit. Not the best one but at least it's understandable."

"Oh yeah, and what is his reason?" Ryoga asked.

"My nephew used to be the prince of the Fire Nation. All he ever wanted was to make his father the Fire Lord happy. One day he was allowed to sit in a war room meeting, with the understanding that he would do nothing except approve of the general plans. He was there to learn, not to have a say. But the plan they came up with was one he just had to speak out against."

"Why?" Ryoga asked.

"It was in a nutshell a ploy to send weak soldiers as human bait against the enemy specifically so they would die and thus waste the enemy's energy and resources so the stronger soldiers could attack when the enemy was tired."

Ryoga silently gasped. "This was their best plan? Make a bunch of people die just to lure the enemy somewhere? War isn't some board game where it's okay to sacrifice some pieces, those soldiers had families."

Iroh nodded. "That's what my nephew was trying to say, but the generals did not appreciate being challenged. Especially when my nephew's sole purpose there was to smile and nod. Anyway, the matter got out of hand and my nephew was forced into an Agni Kai."

"What's an Agni Kai?" Ryoga asked.

"A firebending duel of honor. The general said my nephew had to prove himself after speaking up when he was not supposed to, and my nephew refused to back down. If he did he would be making his claim pointless and therefore forfeiting any chance of being taken seriously in the future. He was ready to fight the general he stood up to, but instead he had to face his father."

"His father?" Ryoga repeated. "Why?"

"The official reason is that even though Zuko, that's my nephew by the way, challenged the general's plan, he had done so in the Fire Lord's war room and therefore he was ultimately dishonoring the Fire Lord. So to restore himself, he had to duel the Fire Lord, his own father."

"And no one had a problem with this?" Ryoga asked, not seeing the reasoning here. 'A guy who's king of a country of fire-breathers is bound to be one of the strongest. And years of experience ahead of his son. It's one thing to spar with your kids, it's another to actually duel them. I think even Ranma's father hasn't gone that far.'

"If anything there were some people there who _wanted_ this to happen. My niece and this one megalomaniac were grinning like hyenaroos when the flames were thrown. Their eyes had malice in them, like they were saying 'Hit him again and put some muscle into it'. I noticed it when I couldn't look at the brutality anymore, and saw them wanting more of it."

"So this guy savagely beat up his own son with fire? And then kicked him out of his own home when it was over?" Ryoga asked, remembering Iroh said Zuko was banished.

Iroh nodded. "Yes, and the only way he can ever go back home and regain his position in the home is by capturing the Avatar and presenting him to the Fire Lord. Zuko hasn't fully thought this out, but at the very least he has something to hope for."

"What hasn't he thought out?" Ryoga asked, not seeing the problem. Get the Avatar and go home, what more was there to it?

"Zuko just wants things to go back to the way they used to be, but the problem is even if he does accomplish his goal things can't go back to the way they used to be. He can never look in the mirror without being reminded of what his father did. He can never look at his sister without remembering that she once tried to have him arrested. He's trying to push this out of his mind, trying to convince himself he can get his family and heritage back, but because of that he doesn't realize his family doesn't want him back. And he may never get to be Fire Lord himself someday."

"Shouldn't you have told him that at some point if you've been traveling with him?" Ryoga asked.

Iroh nodded. "I have, directly and indirectly. But he's young and headstrong, certain he knows better than the voice of experience." He paused for a sigh. "Well that's youth for you."

"Where is he right now?"

"Sometimes lessons need to be learned the hard way, and I think he's finally starting to realize that there's more to life. Right now he's off on his own, trying to figure out what he can do now. He's young and confused, not sure if what he wanted is worth pursuing anymore, and that scares him. It's not easy giving up on a dream, a goal, especially when one doesn't know what else to hope for."

There was a contemplative pause between the two for a moment.

"I see a lot of that in you too Ryoga from the way you describe your troubles. You seem to be under the impression that doing to your enemy what my brother did to his son will make things right for you, but what good will it do you? Will it really change anything in your life? And what will do you once you get your win? What do you plan to do next?"

"I... I don't know. Things have kind of become scrambled for me." Ryoga admitted.

"Like I said, you know how to start a fire but you don't know what to do with it." The old man said metaphorically. "That's a very bad trait to have. It's okay to have a goal, but goals can become obsessions when you stop asking yourself why you want it in the first place. I can help you Ryoga, but you need to learn more than just how to burn things. Otherwise you will be destroyed by your own flames."

Ryoga closed his eyes. 'I do need to learn how to handle this new skill before I hurt anyone with it, and I do need to stay with this man until I can find Ranma. So it wouldn't hurt to listen to him.'

The lost boy then opened his eyes. "Alright, I'll listen."

Iroh smiled. "Alright, but we've save any lessons for tomorrow. I'd prefer to find a campsite tonight and some food."

Ryoga nodded and the two resumed walking. "So can you tell me a little about yourself? If I heard you correctly, you're royalty?"

"Former royalty. I was originally first in line to become Fire Lord after serving some time as a general, but circumstances led me away from that to be what I am now. But I don't mind. There's freedom in being a simple man."

"What happened?" Ryoga asked.

For the first time since meeting him, Ryoga saw Iroh start to look remorseful. "My son died in battle, and I just couldn't bring myself to keep the battle going. I came home, and was declared unfit to rule because of my defeat and lack of heir. I didn't argue, I was in no shape to lead anymore anyway, and let my little brother become the next king."

"I'm sorry." Ryoga said sympathetically. In a distance the howl of a wolf was heard, almost emphasizing the feeling at the moment for them both.

"In a way, my nephew is like my second son now. I'm trying to help him, and like with kids sometimes you have to give them the chance to make their own mistakes and learn from them. I hope Zuko's learning, but I'd like to see him again soon."

"And who is this guy he's after?"

"You don't know about the Avatar?" Iroh asked.

"All I know is he's just some kid." Ryoga claimed, trying not to give away his source. He also couldn't remember that much from the show anymore. His anger at Ranma had sort of pushed those memories aside recently and like Ranma he had mostly been paying attention to the martial arts styles than the other details.

"The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the spirit world. He can bend all four elements and is the symbol of peace and unity between the four nations. And when one dies, another one is born in a reincarnation cycle that goes in the pattern of fire, air, water, and earth. The current Avatar is of the Air Nomads, but sadly he is also the last one. Within the past hundred years they were all wiped out by the Fire Nation."

"And why is the Fire Nation attacking everyone?"

"Long ago, a Fire Lord named Sozen decided that having the Avatar be the thing keeping the four nations united and balanced was an ineffective method. He wanted a system that would work even without the Avatar, for the times when the Avatar was unable to help out or couldn't be somewhere. In theory it wasn't unreasonable as the Avatar is just one person and does spend a good part of their life learning their strengths. However, Sozen's idea was for the Fire Nation to take charge and govern the other nations too."

"So he wanted unity through conquest." Ryoga summarized.

Iroh nodded. "When we're younger we're all taught that we're trying to enrich the rest of the world by trying to share our culture and gifts with them. But I've been out there in the fields, and I see that we're not sharing, we're taking. The Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe are doing just fine on their own and they have their own wonders to behold. The Fire Nation is not the only true civilization in the world, but it wants to think it is. And it wants the rest of the world to agree."

The old man then looked to the teen. "Kind of like you in your pursuit. I think you want to believe you're stronger than your enemy, but you won't accept it until you hear him say it too. Maybe deep down that's all you've really been after."

'I did feel satisfaction when Ranma told me I was the only one he considered a worthy rival.' Ryoga noted.

The path they were on took them by a forest but not through it, and a river was there too. One that was too aggressive to swim in. There was a small curved stone bridge over it clearly there for wagons.

"We got water now so that's good. If we go upstream we could find some food or maybe sticks to catch fish with." Iroh suggested.

"Sounds good to me."

The two men followed the river, sure to stay out of the forest. In the distance one could hear the howl of a wolf. Ryoga looked at the sky and couldn't see one recognizable constellation.

Iroh put an arm out, stopping Ryoga. "Someone's close by." He whispered.

"How can you tell?" The teen asked.

"Look." He said, pointing to the treetops. Just barely visible in the dark, Ryoga could make out smoke. Iroh could see it better since firebenders were no strangers to smoke. "Someone's here, possibly just camping out like we want to. They could be simple travelers, or they could be people willing to ambush us on sight."

"So what do we do?" Ryoga asked.

"Let's see who they are. If they want a fight, it's not like we can't fight back. And if they're friendly, maybe they'll be willing to share." Iroh said with a smile and proceeded, but with an underlying sense of caution now.

Following the smoke, they went into the forest, careful not to create any noise more than unavoidable. The former general kept his eyes sharp and hid behind the trees. He didn't find a clearing, but it did find someone leaning against a tree trying to keep warm by a fire while something cooked over it. And a large bird rested next to him, chewing on some plants.

Iroh gasped and walked out into the open. "Zuko?"

The camper looked up, and it was indeed the burned-faced former prince of the Fire Nation. "Uncle?"

Iroh smiled warmly. "I'm so glad to see you again." He knelt down and hugged his nephew, who for once decided to hug back. "So Zuko, still feel like you need to travel on your own?"

Zuko sighed. "Traveling alone is overrated."

"Well, I think we won't be as alone anymore. I found a friend for you." Iroh said, gesturing to Ryoga. "It might do you good to have a companion your own age for once. Though it would do you better to find a pretty young girl to try and get close to."

"And you are?" Zuko asked Ryoga.

"Just someone who wants to get back home but doesn't know how to." Ryoga said.

"I know the feeling." Zuko replied.

'I get the feeling they'll get along fine. As long as they don't get too competitive and have another spar that one's four days late to.' Iroh thought, satisfied.

The ostrich-horse perked up and soon began squawking.

"Something's coming." Zuko said. "We better go."

"Already? Well don't forget what you were cooking." Iroh bemoaned, eyeing two cooked fish on sticks that looked done.

Zuko grabbed them and handed them to his uncle while trying to get his ride ready. "Can you fight?" He asked Ryoga.

"Of course I can."

"Then you're going to have to fight with us. All three can't ride on this guy."

Before anyone could say anything further, a blast of blue electricity shot at them from behind several trees, nearly hitting them but aimed too high.

"It just had to be her." Zuko groaned.

"We can't outrun her Zuko, so we're going to have to fight her off. We need to get to the open and I think I can do something to give us an advantage." Iroh offered.

"Like what?"

"No time to explain, you two get across the river."

"I'm not leaving you!" Zuko declared.

"Go!" Iroh shouted.

Seeing the serious in his uncle's face, Zuko nodded and got aboard the ostrich-horse and helped Ryoga get aboard too. With a kick the giant bird rushed out of the forest and towards the path.

"Who are you two afraid of?" Ryoga asked.

"When you see her you'll know." was all the banished prince could say.

They got back into the empty prairie and crossed the bridge. Zuko looked back and saw Iroh get across the river with some fire propulsion, then stop in the field and take a stance, prompting Zuko to get back to him for support.

From out of the forest came Azula's group atop their mongoose-dragons, heading right for Iroh. With a sinister grin Azula lashed out with more blue lightning, but Iroh showed no fear. He spread his arms, right in front and the left behind him with only two fingers extended on each hand. His right hand took the lightning but he seemed to take it into his body and shift his weight so that his left arm went forward instead, all in the span of two seconds, and the lightning went out of his left arm back at the Fire Princess.

"What the hell?" She yelled, rearing up her ride so it would take the hit for her. The electricity hit the animal in the heart and quickly killed it, knocking it into the river while Azula jumped off it.

Meanwhile, Ty Lee and Mai went for Zuko and Ryoga, with Mai throwing knifes that hit one of the ostrich-horses legs making it stumble and dump the two boys on the ground. Ty Lee acrobatically jumped towards them and used her strikes to render their legs unable to support their weight.

"Hey, you look familiar." Ty Lee knelt down to get a better look at Ryoga. "Weren't you fighting that airbender a few days ago?"

"Azula's going to be interested in him then." Mai claimed.

Feeling threatened, Ryoga decided to get rid of them. "Bakusai Tenketsu!" He jabbed the ground between them and him, creating a stone explosion that got the two girls off guard. Because they had been near the river, the destruction of the ground made them fall in and get carried away by the swift current.

"What did you do?" Zuko asked.

"Later, your uncle needs help." Ryoga stated.

Zuko looked back and saw Iroh was fending off Azula, who was now literally fighting fire with fire. Angry at his sister for many things, Zuko knew he had to help his uncle. Unable to walk, he generated a large burst of fire from both hands to propel himself at her too, while Ryoga could only watch.

Azula of course saw this coming from the side of her vision, and so sent some cyan fire his way for him to crash into and burn what was left of his face if not more. Zuko simply readjusted his arms to get over the flames, at worst singing his shoes. Once above her he sent the fire right at her, forcing her to jump back.

'Can I do that?' Ryoga asked himself, flexing his fists.

"You okay?" Iroh asked, approaching his nephew once he landed, still unable to stand.

"You're not helping anyone you failure!" Azula threatened, creating more lightning. This time Iroh couldn't redirect it, and got hit in the side since Azula had aimed in haste. He yelled in agony and bits of his clothes got burned while Zuko watched him fall in horror.

"And to think he was once called the Dragon of the West. How our grandfather ever considered him an option for the throne before Father is beyond me." Azula said specifically to aggravate her brother.

A rage greater than any he ever felt before grew in the banished prince. He roared at her and flames that were practically becoming white surged at the girl who coolly swerved around him.

"You thought you could beat me?" She taunted.

'I don't like fighting girls, but someone this dangerous needs to be stopped.' Ryoga thought, pulling back his arm then shooting it forward like he had seen the others do. Some orange flames shot out and hit Azula on her unguarded back since she hadn't bothered noting another downed person.

The flames weren't hurting her, oh sure they were hot and could result in first degree burns, but her clothes were taking the worst of the damage. Bits of her garments fell off and soon left her in her underwear.

'What the hell?' She asked herself, aghast by the sudden exposure and covering herself. 'Fire Nation clothes are fire-resistant. Maybe not fire-proof but... oh what does it matter? A princess can't fight someone in her underwear.'

She turned and glared at the boy who had stripped her, glaring like she was trying to create lightning with her eyes. "I'll be back for you." Azula vowed, heading off to preserve what was left of her modesty.

"Uncle!" Zuko yelled in fear, checking on the old man that was losing consciousness. He looked around, seeing Azula was gone and Ryoga was unable to help at the moment. He fumed and hit the ground with his fist. "Damn you Azula! Damn you!"

'And yet I still can't say this is the weirdest family I've ever encountered.' Ryoga thought to himself.

* * *

Downstream, both Mai and Ty Lee got out of the water, coughing. Ty Lee grabbed her long braid and tried to wring water out of it.

"Is it just me, or did that boy with the bandanna look kinda cute?" She asked Mai, who said nothing.


	7. Bitter Work

****Legends of the Four Masters  
****__#07—Bitter Work__

Morning came and Aang once again was having one of those days where he was a morning person.

"Today's the day!" He said happily while twirling in the air, landing right next to Sokka in his sleeping bag. "Can you believe it? After all that time searching for a teacher I'm finally starting earthbending! And this place, it's perfect to do it in, don't you think?" He got no response. "Sokka?"

The Water Tribe boy gave him an angry but tired look over the rim of his sleeping bag. No words were said, but a groan that clearly meant 'Go away' was made.

"Let him sleep Aang." Kasumi advised, awake early as usual but conflicted given she had no idea what to do. She had never gone camping before.

"Oh you're still sleeping huh?" Aang asked, feeling a little bit sheepish.

Sokka groaned again and looked away, pulling a flap over his head.

Aang took the hint. "Sorry." He whispered.

No sooner had he finished then the ground started to quake, making Katara jolt from her own bag as well as wake up Ranma and Shampoo who had been sleeping next to Appa. They all looked to Toph's stone tent, which burst into rubble.

"Good morning earthbending student." She said cheerfully, emerging from the dust already wide awake and standing.

"Good morning Sifu Toph." Aang greeted with a respectful bow as she walked closer.

'Sifu...' Katara mentally groaned, still a bit bothered by the lack of the title given to her when for all basic purposes she had been Aang's first teacher out of the ice.

Sokka sat up and trying to protest all the commotion but it was like he was trying to say a hundred words at once so it came out incomprehensible.

"Hey, it's still better than how I usually wake up." Ranma commented, doing some stretches. Shampoo was doing the same next to him, yawning like she was struggling to stay awake.

"Sorry Snoozles, we'll do our earthbending as quietly as we can." Toph joked, her smile betraying any attempt at being serious. And to add to the joke, she stomped the ground, making a pillar of stone pop up under Sokka so suddenly and forcefully that he went flying up screaming. He landed without injury, but boy was he fuming, grumbling incoherently and jumping away without bothering to get out of his bag.

"So what move are you going to teach me first?" Aang asked, excited as he got next to the blind girl. "Rockalanche? The Trembler? Oh, maybe I can learn to make a whirlpool out of land!"

Toph stopped his imagined reenactments of these possible made-up techniques by putting her hand on his chest. "Let's start with... move a rock." She mimed the motion herself similar to what he had done, only more dignified, then walked off to find a good spot to practice.

"Sounds good. Sounds good." Aang replied.

"You two should go work on your basics some more since we'll be busy. And don't be afraid to experiment with what you can do." Toph added, looking towards Shampoo and Ranma.

"No problem." Shampoo said.

"What do we do?" Kasumi asked Katara.

"I'm going to practice more waterbending. You can keep me company if you'd like." The Water Tribe girl offered. Kasumi nodded.

Toph led the young monk back to where she taught Shampoo, an open crevice where they were surrounded by stone on all sides, and they went to the bottom of it where there were already several small boulders just waiting for an earthbender. "Okay, first lesson, the key to earthbending is your stance." She said before pumping her arms back a bit similar to Ranma's Amaguriken while spreading her legs enough for reinforce stability in place. "You've got to be steady and strong."

Aang attempted to recreate the stance, but it was clear he felt like he had no idea what he was doing.

"Rock is a stubborn element. If you're going to move it..." She shoved him a bit, disrupting his balance to reinforce the need for the proper stance. "...you're going to have to be like a rock yourself."

"Like a rock, got it." Aang said.

"Good, now the actual motion of this one is pretty simple." Toph continued, turning to her side so her left should faced the stone. With a sudden thrust it looked like she just tapped the boulder and sent it crashing into the crevice wall.

"Okay, you ready to give it a try?" She asked.

Aang took up the stance as best he could. "I'm ready." He glared at the remaining boulder as if to make it scared to refuse him, and struck it. However he was the one sent flying away and crashing into the still sleeping Appa.

"Rock beats airbender." Sokka joked, unable to resist enjoying this, as he sat in a tree still in his sleeping bag, trying to get what little sleep he still could. But he had to admit, seeing that was worth losing a little sleep.

* * *

"Uncle?"

Iroh was pulled from his dream where he got to see his young son Lu Ten again, and the first thing he saw was Zuko looking over him in concern. "You were unconscious. Azula did this to you,. It was a surprise attack."

"Somehow that's not so surprising." Iroh replied with a pained groan as he adjusted himself.

Zuko had been making some tea with some plants he had on him for times like this, and gave his uncle a cup. "Here, I hope I made it the way you like it."

Grateful, Iroh took it and had a sip. Right away he looked like someone who had tasted something man was not meant to ingest. "Mmm... good." He carefully lied since his nephew had enough to feel bad about., and forced himself to finish it. "That was very... bracing." He said as Zuko took the cup back.

'That's one way to describe it.' Ryoga thought, having tasted it first and told Zuko he wondered if the ingredients had gone sour.

Zuko gave the old man another cup, but this time Iroh tossed the contents out the window behind him when his nephew wasn't looking. "So Uncle, I've been thinking, it's only a matter of time before Azula finds us again. I'm going to need to know more advanced firebending to even stand a chance against her. I know what you're going to say, she's my sister and I should be trying to get along with her."

"No, she's crazy and she needs to go down." Iroh corrected. This surprised both Zuko and Ryoga but both nodded.

With some groaning, Iroh got on his feet. "It's time to resume your training, and give Ryoga here some help too. Azula's not above targeting people out of association."

* * *

"Hey Airen, I have an idea for how we can train together." Shampoo suggested when they came to a stop. Appa had followed them since the area they were in had a lot of trees and grass nearby for him to eat.

"How? We use different styles." He asked.

"See that rock?" The Amazon asked, pointing to a large stone. "I'm going to try bending to make it move towards you, and you try bending the air to push it back to me. With it going back and forth, we both get training."

"Ah, like a bending version of tossing a ball back and forth?" Ranma asked and Shampoo nodded. "Alright, but I hope I don't accidentally hurt you."

"I break brick walls all the time Airen, you think I can't break ordinary stone?"

"Point taken." The boy said, getting some distance between the two of them to give the rock ample room to roll yet still let them be able to talk to each other.

Shampoo repeated the motions Toph had taught her to get a rock moving, only this time she put less force into it. This allowed the rock to roll like a ball rather than glide over the ground like the worlds biggest hockey puck. Waving his arms Ranma was able to create a cushion of air to stop the rock from hitting him then started pushing it back towards her.

"Hey Shampoo?" Ranma asked after the boulder had gone back and forth a few times, them experimenting on what kind of force they could use on it. "What did you mean before about getting to know the real me and stuff like that?"

"You know, stuff beyond martial arts. Your likes and dislikes, why you feel that way about those things, your goals and why you want those goals, what you believe is right and wrong and why you believe that, stuff you've done in your past, stuff you hope to do in the future. You know, the stuff that makes you human instead of a character in a martial arts video game just waiting for the next match."

"Ah, alright." Ranma said, then tried to think of what he could say.

"Here's a start, you like martial arts right?" Shampoo started, sensing his trouble at picking what to begin with. "Why do you like it? What's your favorite thing about it? And what do you plan to do with it in your lifetime?"

Ranma blinked and stopped bending. "You sure you want to hear that?"

The Chinese girl nodded, ceasing her bending too as to avoid hitting him now. "Yeah, why wouldn't I?"

"There's a reason I've never told anyone just what my goal in life is. If you think things were bad for me _before_ in Nerima, they would have been a lot worse if I had told anyone what I wanted to do with my life."

Shampoo just looked at her intended loved one, seeing him look like he thought someone was going to attack him. Or like he wanted to attack himself. It was hard to say, but she felt she had to make him feel reassured. With that, she walked up to him and took ahold of his hand. He flinched at the contact, but didn't withdraw.

"I'm not going to judge you." She said simply, yet with a lot of comfort.

Still uncertain, Ranma took a deep breath. "Alright, but you might not like what my answer is."

* * *

"I gotta warn you, I've never practiced any form of combat training before." Kasumi told Katara when they went to a rather shallow pond filled with reeds and the croaking of unseen frogs.

"Never?" Katara asked.

"Well... actually there was this brief time when I was a kid. My family owns a dojo and I was the firstborn so I was for a while taught to be the heir. But due to... something happening I'd rather not talk about, that stopped and I've mainly worked at just keeping the home instead."

"In that case, you could just watch." Katara offered.

"No, I want to try it. I never get to try anything new." Kasumi insisted. "How do I start?"

"The way I started was pushing the waves back and forth, like trying to make your own tide." Katara said, then demonstrated with something Kasumi had seen her do in the show back when she was giving Aang tips on waterbending.

"Oh that, yeah that should be easy. But how do I form a connection to the water?" The homemaker asked.

"The best way I can describe it is visualizing yourself touching the water and molding it like snow. But unlike snow it's not going to stay in place." Katara explained, then made some water levitate and go around in circles around herself, attention remaining on the water. "You gotta work with the motion, and that means you need to be in motion yourself, flowing from one form to the next all the time. When you get it right you can switch between offense and defense in the blink of an eye and even control the form of water, making ice when you need a solid weapon or turning ice back into water."

"Well, I am used to staying active." Kasumi said, then looked at the water and put her hands out like she was trying to touch a wall. "Back and forth, like I'm pushing the water." She bent her arms slowly forward and back, while shifting her weight to go with it, almost like she was doing vertical push-ups.

"No, that's not quite right." Katara said, making the older woman stop. "You got to get your wrists involved too, like this." She waved her hands up and down to show. "You can't keep your hands up and firm like you were. You're not dealing with a solid, so move your hands as it changes shape so you can keep pushing and pulling."

Kasumi surprisingly looked hesitant, but nodded. She went back to attempting to bend the water, moving her hands as instructed. This time the water responded, casting waves that hadn't been there before.

"You're doing it." Katara said proudly.

'I can't believe, I'm actually bending.' The housekeeper thought, feeling as excited as Sokka did the first time he saw Appa fly. 'I can finally do something worth bragging about.'

All of a sudden Kasumi stopped and drew her hands closer to herself, wincing a bit. The water lost momentum and was slowly returning to rest now.

"You okay?" Katara asked, coming up to the homemaker.

"I'm fine, it's nothing." Kasumi insisted.

"You sure? You looked like you were in pain." Katara said, trying to look over the older woman but seeing no injury of any kind.

"I'm fine, it's nothing. I just need to pace myself." Kasumi repeated, then attempted some more waterbending.

* * *

"Shampoo, the thing is... I don't think I want my life to revolve around martial arts anymore." Ranma confessed, sitting on the ground leaning against the rock they had been practicing with not too long ago.

"What do you mean?" Shampoo asked, sitting next to him.

"Think about what it was like back home. Every day, the same stuff happened. Someone wants to fight me, someone gets angry at me, someone tries to manipulate me. Day in and day out. Over and over and over again. Even learning new techniques and facing new opponents got old after a while, it was just one fight after another. And this wasn't just in Nerima, it's been my whole life."

"For as long as I can remember, martial arts has been the very foundation of my life. But that's never been my choice." Ranma continued. "I like martial arts, or at least, I did. There are parts I still like, I do enjoy learning new moves, but every day for years it's been the same old thing. Frankly, I'm getting bored of being a martial artist."

Shampoo was stunned. Ranma bored of martial arts? That was like saying Nabiki was bored of money.

"Don't get me wrong, I don't hate the arts or intend to give it up." He told her. "It's just... I don't want it to consume every day of the rest of my life. Once in a while I want to be allowed to do something else. I want to have days where I don't have to expect a fight. I want to do something without it becoming just another version of martial arts. I want to talk to someone without having to worry it's going to blow up in my face. I... I just want times where I can stop being a martial artist and just be a normal guy. Is that really too much to ask?"

Shampoo shook her head. "No Airen, it's not. In fact, it's normal to want all that. I'm just surprised to hear you think that way."

"Think about it like this Shampoo, what's your favorite food?"

She blinked. "Steak."

"Imagine eating nothing but steak for every meal for years. Sure it might be prepared different ways and come with different sides, but it's steak over and over and over again. Even if you like it, wouldn't you eventually want something else?"

Shampoo found herself nodded. 'If that was the case I imagine I'd someday throw up at the idea of even looking at one more steak.'

"That's how it is for me and martial arts, every day for as long as I can remember. What person in their right mind wouldn't occasionally get bored of it if they did it that much? It's one of the things I envied about you, Ucchan, and Akane, you all were good martial artists but you all let yourselves do other things once in a while. Me, at this point it's the only thing I know how to do and I don't like being like that."

Shampoo put an arm around his shoulders and leaned against him. "It's okay Airen, I understand, and I'm really glad you shared this with me."

"Well, at least learning to bend should be fun. And being here is a very welcome vacation from all the crap back in Nerima." He added. "So I guess I should thank you for bringing me that ticket Shampoo."

She smiled. "I'm glad we can be here together too in this vacation."

* * *

After a while, Katara left Kasumi to practice more so she could check up on Aang's progress. "How's he doing?" She asked Toph while seeing the Air Nomad blindfolded and trying to use Sokka's machete to destroy any piles that Toph created randomly. Clearly an attempt to teach him to sense the earth similar to the blind girl.

"He's making effort, but he keeps thinking like an airbender. Trying to come at it from another angle or figure out some trick to it. But that's not how earthbending works."

"I've been training Aang for a while now, and he really responds well to a positive teaching experience." Katara offered, hoping this would help both him and Toph. "Lots of encouragement and praise. Kind words. If he's doing something wrong, maybe a gentle nudge in the right direction will help him more."

"Thanks Katara, a gentle nudge. I'll try that." The blind earthbender replied. "And how is Miss Know-It-All?"

"She's actually doing surprisingly well. Once she figured out how to form a connection to the water, it came naturally to her. Though she has been taking it strangely slow, almost like it hurts her to bend."

"Hurts to bend?" Toph repeated, not expecting something like that to happen.

"Are we done?" Aang asked, removing the blindfold now that Toph had stopped earthbending.

"We're done when you've moved a boulder Twinkle Toes." Toph told him. "But if you want, we can try something different. Catch." She kicked the ground and a boulder shot up, looking like it was going to land on him. Aang screamed and ran.

"You call this a gentle nudge?" Katara asked.

"That was just to get him started." Toph said, then swept her feet across the ground and created two stone walls around Aang to trap him in a hallway. He turned to face her at the other end, where she smiled and carved a line in the ground then shattered the previous boulder and created a stone suit of armor for herself.

'What's she doing?' Aang asked himself, confused. Right away, Toph came at him looking like she was skating across the ground. With no time to think or evade, Aang braced himself for the collision, and even tried pushing back.

Surprisingly he did so, despite the pressure she was putting on him. She pressed back, gaining some ground. But Aang stayed resolute and pressed on. He didn't even bother using the air to give him some additional support, and soon enough pushed Toph across the line.

Katara meanwhile watched from above, perched on the stone walls as if Toph intended for her to see this. "Now this is more like it."

"I'll be taking this back." Sokka said, retrieving his machete that Aang had dropped. "I'm going to go get some meat for later."

"Maybe some fruit too Sokka." Katara asked. In the South Pole fruit wasn't exactly easy to come by, so to her it was like a delicacy. The kind she liked that is.

"Sure, if I have time." Sokka waved off.

* * *

"Lightning is a pure expression of firebending." Iroh said to his two pupils after some proper tea had been brewed at his insistence. "It is done without aggression."

"She looked pretty aggressive to me." Ryoga stated.

"Lightning can be used with aggression, but it is not fueled by it in and of itself. It is not created or empowered by emotion the way other firebending is. Some call lightning the cold-blooded fire because of this." He continued, pouring more tea into their now empty cups. "It is precise and deadly, like Azula."

"Precise and deadly, meaning it's done with a specific target in mind?" Ryoga asked as he and Zuko were handed their cups back.

Iroh nodded. "Normal firebending allows one to hit multiple targets at once and the wide spread of flame helps cover the gaps in the physical motions needed to perform it. Firebenders sacrifice accuracy for power and coverage, believing that the best defense is a perfect offense and it's okay to miss your primary target the first time because you can follow through with a quick succession of follow-up attacks."

'Sounds similar to the Shishi Hokodan.' Ryoga told himself.

"But lightning is different. Lightning is an attempt to focus all that power and destructive capabilities to one specific point. One who intends to use lightning is sacrificing their defense for a targeted attack, so they can't afford to miss the first time. They must be accurate, and all accuracy requires focus and control. You can't do that when you're in the normal mindset of a firebender. To perform the technique requires peace of mind."

"I see. So that's why we're drinking tea, to calm the mind." Zuko said.

"Oh yeah, good point. I mean, yes." Iroh said, showing that his main reason for the tea was merely the enjoyment of the beverage. "For a demonstration we must go outside."

The trio walked out and Iroh came to a stop by a cliff. Ryoga was hesitant because he had been shoved off a cliff in the past and didn't want to repeat that.

"There is energy all around us. The energy is both yin and yang. Positive energy and negative energy." Iroh continued as they overlooked the landscape. "Only a select few firebenders can separate these energies. This creates an imbalance, and the energy wants to restore balance. And in the process, the positive and negative energy come crashing back together. Once that happens, you provide release and guidance for that energy, creating lightning."

The old man then gestured both teens to step back, then he faced the open area. He slowly waved his arms and rather quickly lightning formed around the tips of two fingers on his right hand, crackling loudly. Soon it formed on his left hand too. He carefully brought them together, and then thrust his right hand forward, sending all the lightning at the sky.

"I'm ready to try it." Zuko stated.

Iroh rubbed his injury for a moment. "Remember, once you separate the energy you do not command it. You're simply it's humble guide. Breathe first."

Zuko and Ryoga took deep breaths.

"Actually Ryoga, this is too advanced for you. Sit this one out." Iroh suggested.

"I think I can handle it. I may not know firebending but I'm a great martial artist." The lost boy insisted.

"A good hunter isn't necessarily a good farmer." Iroh said sagely. "But if you insist."

The teens then tried to mimic Iroh's arm movements, similar to a person waving around invisible streamers. No lightning formed for either, but they tried shooting out energy anyway. The result was a point-blank explosion for Zuko that sent him flying back and crashing on the ground, and Ryoga simply creating a normal fire ball.

Iroh knew neither boy would succeed the first time, so he wasn't disappointed. He just hoped they'd take it well.

* * *

Sokka was up in a tree looking for something to hunt. He soon found something, a small animal covered in brown fur that he didn't recognize but he could tell it was young and defenseless.

"You're cute, but unfortunately for you you're made of meat." He said, getting his machete ready and waiting for the right moment to get it. The animal was munching on some grass growing around a large X-shaped crack in the ground, completely unaware of the boy's presence.

Satisfied with the opportunity, Sokka jumped out of the tree with his sword ready. He missed the animal, landing in the crack and his legs sank in up to his waist. The animal was spooked but didn't run off, simply jumping away to face him.

'I'm stuck.' Sokka realized. 'But I can still get this.' He got ready to swing his machete again, but the motion only made him sink deeper into the crack, with only his head, shoulders, and hands sticking out. He struggled to free himself, but neither his legs or arms could move within the narrow gap. He also had dropped his machete, but in his current position there was little he could have done with it in the first place.

The small animal sat there in front of him, giving him a curious look like it was waiting for him to do something else.

"You are one lucky meat creature."


	8. Under Pressure

****Legends of the Four Masters  
****__#08—Under Pressure__

"This time we're going to do something a little different." Toph said after Aang had been showing some progress. He hadn't actually moved any stones, but he was showing the fortitude she had been looking for. "Instead of trying to move a rock, you're going to stop a rock. Get in your horse stance."

Aang did as told, positioning himself with his legs spread with the knees bent at right angles and his arms pumped with the elbows behind him.

Toph then pointed behind her, which happened to be a cliffside that had a convenient slide carved into it, likely by her beforehand, and at the top was another boulder just waiting to be moved. "I'm going to roll that rock right down at you. If you have the attitude of an earthbender, you'll stay in your stance and stop the rock."

Aang looked like he was more likely to wet himself.

"Like this!" Toph demonstrated how he could physically stop an oncoming boulder, looking like she was in the horse stance but bending her upper body towards her right while pressing against an unseen wall.

"Sorry Toph, but are you sure this is really the best way to teach Aang earthbending?" Katara politely interjected. Momo happened to be perched on her head at the moment.

"I'm glad you said something." Toph replied, then reached for something on Aang. "Actually there is a better way." She then pulled back out the red bit of cloth that Aang had been blindfolded with earlier, and refashioned it around his eyes. "This way, you'll really have to sense the vibrations of the boulder to stop it. Thank you Katara." Toph finished, even giving a thumbs up.

"Yeah, thanks Katara." Aang added sarcastically.

The Water Tribe girl could only laugh sheepishly for a second.

Toph went up to the top of the cliff, but didn't immediately push the boulder, thus ensuring Aang would have to pay attention rather than expect an immediate event. When she was satisfied, she gave it a tap and it rolled like a marble.

'I'm gonna die I'm gonna die I'm gonna die' echoed in Aang's panicked mind as he heard and felt the oncoming tremors. Once they were too close for comfort, not that there was a close enough range to begin with, Aang jumped up and over the boulder, making it continue on and crash against another cliff way as he landed.

Toph was not happy, and rushed down the cliff. She got up to him once he removed the blindfold. "I guess I just panicked." He told her, knowing she'd be upset with his choice. "I don't know what to say."

"There's nothing _to_ say! You blew it! You had a perfect stance and perfect form, but when it came right down to it, you didn't have the guts!" At the word 'guts' she lightly punched him in the chest, making him fall on his rear.

"I know, I'm sorry." He said again, ashamed at himself.

"Yeah you are sorry!" Toph continued, bending down to keep her face in his for extra emphasis. "If you're not tough enough to stop the rock, then you can at least give it the pleasure of smooshing you instead of jumping out of the way like a jelly-boned wimp! Now, do you have what it takes to face that rock like an earthbender?"

Aang hung his head. "No, I don't think I do."

"Aang, it's no big deal." Katara said soothingly as she came up to him, putting her hands on his shoulders.  
"You'll take a break and try earthbending again when you're ready. Besides you still have a lot of waterbending to work on, okay?"

"Yeah, that sounds good." He replied, though he didn't sound enthusiastic. He got up and started walking off with Katara who kept one arm around his shoulders to provide some comfort for him.

"Yeah well whatever, go splash around until you feel better." Toph remarked, waving them off as she walked away.

* * *

"Why can't I do it? Instead of lightning it just keeps exploding in my face. Just like everything does." Zuko asked after more failed attempts. Ryoga had been failing too, but once he made some fire he started working on that instead with Iroh giving him some tips.

"I was afraid this would happen. You will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you." Iroh said, walking up to his nephew.

"What turmoil?" Zuko asked, wondering if he was being insulted.

"Zuko, you must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to go away."

"But I don't feel any shame at all." The banished prince claimed. "I'm as proud as ever."

"Prince Zuko, pride is not the opposite of shame but it's source. True humility is the only antidote to shame."

Zuko looked away. "My life has been nothing but humbling lately."

"You and me both man." Ryoga commented. He sure didn't look humble though, as he got into a set rhythm of throwing one punch after another sending fire from his fists, careful not to hit something flammable.

Iroh thought for a moment on something that would help his psuedo-son. "I have another idea. I will teach you a firebending move that even Azula doesn't know. Because I made it up myself."

This certainly got Zuko's attention.

* * *

Katara took Aang back to the pond where Kasumi was still waterbending. This time, the two stood in the water in their underclothes and practiced by passing water between themselves in a counterclockwise orbit, the idea being to get used to pulling water towards themselves and just as quickly pushing it away. Kasumi redirected her bending to avoid bothering them, this time trying to levitate water like they were.

"You know this block you're having is only temporary right?" Katara said, hoping to help him.

"I don't want to talk about it." The bald monk said.

"You do realize that's the problem don't you? If you face this issue instead of avoiding it-"

"I know I know I know! I get it alright?" Aang cut in, finally showing a mood beyond self-disgust. The two both stopped bending and dropped the water they had been using. "I need to face it head-on like a rock, but I can't do it! I don't know why I can't, but I can't!"

"Aang, if fire and water are opposites, then what's the opposite of air?" Katara asked.

"I guess it's earth." He admitted.

"That's why it's so hard for you to get this. You're working with your natural opposite. But you'll figure it out. I know you will." She reassured him, trying to get him to realize that the problem was not an inherent lack of talent. That was likely the reason Aang was so hard on himself. He was used to bending coming easy to him, so for an element to be this hard, naturally he'd assume the problem was him.

At the same time, Katara carefully broke a reed behind her. "Think fast!" she said, throwing the reed at him like a knife.

Aang reacted immediately, bending the water to create a thin arching wave that intercepted the reed and cleaved it, both halves falling into the water.

"Excellent. You have the reflexes of a waterbending master." Katara praised, hands on her hips.

"Thanks Katara." Aang said, feeling better, and then decided to return the favor. "Sifu Katara." He put his right fist into his left palm and bowed in respect.

Katara was touched, and returned the bow.

"Well then waterbending masters, how do I do what you were doing?" Kasumi asked, showing she was 'sculpting' a wobbly pillar of water, but once she tried to break the top away the whole thing collapsed.

"Try supporting the water before you separate it, not after." Katara suggested.

Kasumi nodded and made another water pillar, moving her hands as if she was molding the water like clay, then tried making it lean to the side a small bit before moving her hands like she was trying to create a ball. Some of the water fell back into the pond, but a floating bubble remained in the air.

"You're doing good." Katara said. "By the way, how are your hands?"

Kasumi stopped for a bit, inadvertently dropping the water. "They're fine. Why do you ask?"

"You looked like they hurt you before. Are you sure they're not injured or something?"

The quiet housekeeper looked at her hands for a moment, but didn't look like she was actually seeing them. "Not for a long time."

"Huh?" Both Katara and Aang asked, completely unaware of what she was saying.

Kasumi closed her eyes and shook her head, then resumed waterbending, looking like she was making an effort to pretend nothing was wrong.

Aang and Katara looked at each other, knowing that this older girl was hiding something from them, yet forcing the issue would not be a good idea right now.

* * *

"Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will to achieve what they want." Iroh explained while drawing the symbol for fire in the dirt within a box. Above it he drew another box and symbol. "Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring." To the left of the fire symbol, he drew another diagram. "Air is the element of freedom. The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also they apparently had pretty good senses of humor."

Zuko gave Iroh a look that told him if he was trying to make a joke there then he clearly wasn't as funny as an Air Nomad. Ryoga looked like he wasn't aware there was a joke in the first place.

'Tough crowd.' Iroh thought, then drew the final diagram above the symbol for air. "Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything."

"If fire is all we can use, what's the point of knowing about the other elements?" Ryoga asked.

"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If you take it from only one place..." Iroh then drew lines separating the four symbols. "It becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others besides yourselves, such as the other elements and the other nations, will help you both become whole."

With that, Iroh drew a circle around all four symbols, creating a sense of unity for them.

"All this four elements stuff is sounding like Avatar stuff." Zuko said, like Ryoga he wasn't seeing how this really applied to someone who could only use firebending.

"It is the combination of four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful. But it could make you more powerful too." Iroh said, lightly poking Zuko with his stick at the end. "You see, the technique I'm about to teach you two is one I learned by studying the waterbenders."

Zuko couldn't help but smile. 'Azula would never expect this then. It will surely catch her off guard.'

"So you use hot water then?" Ryoga asked.

"Oh no, nothing like that." Iroh corrected. "You'll see what I mean when I demonstrate."

* * *

"Hey guys." Katara called out when she and Aang went looking for Ranma and Shampoo. "What are you doing?"

There were a lot of pillars poking out of the ground, likely created by Shampoo, that were of unequal height and scattered in no clear pattern. Some weren't even at the same angle. The two teens were jumping atop the pillars and fighting each other with their natural martial arts styles, while adding in bending. Ranma was using the air to fend off his opponent as well as direct himself in his jumps, and Shampoo used the stones to reshape their terrain as well as give the pigtailed boy surprise attacks. Throughout it all, they both looked like they were simply having fun.

"Oh, hi everyone." Ranma said, seeing the younger teens and jumping to the flat ground, soon followed by Shampoo. "What's up?"

"We're getting hungry and Sokka hasn't come back from hunting yet, so we're going to start foraging for dinner. Can you help?" Katara asked.

"Sure, I'm no stranger to foraging for my own food. Only way I could make sure my old man never took what I ate." Ranma said. Shampoo simply nodded in agreement.

The boys split off from the girls to cover more ground.

"Hey Ranma, do you ever have any trouble learning something new?" Aang asked as he gathered some apples.

Ranma laughed. "You think you're the only one who has had trouble?"

"No not at all. I just wonder if you can give me some help in learning earthbending since you're such good friends with an earthbender."

"Well what are you struggling with?" Ranma asked, spotting something in the trees that looked like bananas but they were red. "Think those are edible?" He asked, pointing at them.

"I don't know, but maybe Momo or Appa will like them." Aang said, doing a little airbending to cut down the fruit and catch it. "Sifu Toph keeps telling me I need to do things that are impossible. She's teaching like I'm supposed to be unbreakable."

"My old man was the same, teaching me like I was already supposed to be an expert. Said if I didn't want to be weak I shouldn't expect to be treated like a weakling." Ranma replied, trying some airbending to do the same thing Aang did, but he missed and cut a branch.

"Yeah, but I doubt this old man of yours threw boulders at you." Aang remarked, seeing some edible mushrooms he liked and picking them.

"No, but he did throw me into a pit of starving cats covered with fish when I was ten."

The bald monk suddenly jerked up, eyes wide looking at the older boy. "What? You're joking right?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Ranma asked back, showing his serious face. "Let's not get into that. You want to know what the big secret to earthbending is right?" Aang nodded. "Judging from what I've seen, it's a style that requires you to be direct and not afraid to hurt someone. Certainly fits Shampoo."

"But not me. I don't like hurting people." Aang claimed.

"No one's asking you to _like_ hurting anyone. Besides, there have been how many Avatars before you? You think you're the only one who ever struggled along the way? I'm sure the guy before you have a hard time with at least one element."

Aang put a hand on his chin. 'Hmm... it's possible. Avatar Roku would have struggled to learn waterbending.'

"There you are." Toph said, walking up to the boys with Momo perched on her shoulder.

"What now Toph?" Aang asked, certain the blind girl was going to try some new way to make him grow a spine.

"Oh nothing, except I found these nuts in your bag." She said, holding up a small green bag with a cartoon version of Aang's face on it. "I figured you wouldn't mind if I helped myself, and besides, even if you _did_, you're too much of a pushover to do anything about it."

"As a matter of fact, I don't mind. I'm happy to share anything I have." He replied, trying not to let her obvious attempts to anger him work.

"Y'know, you still could at least ask first." Ranma remarked, not exactly fond of someone who takes another person's food with a 'What are you going to do about it?' attitude. That was too much like Genma for his liking.

"You heard him, he's got no complaints. Besides, it gives me a chance to try out this great new nutcracker I got." She added, twirling Aang's staff above her head.

This certainly wasn't something the monk was willing to ignore. He grimaced as he saw her drop a few nuts to the ground then crush one open with his staff.

"Actually, I'd prefer if you didn't-" Another nut cracked, and Aang winced to think of what his prized possession was being used for. "That's an antique, handcrafted by the mon-" Another nut cracked, and he winced again. "It's a delicate instrument!"

"It's not the only delicate instrument around here." Toph said apathetically, having picked up the nuts and started eating them. Momo took a few too. Ranma looked at her then Aang, then back to her, just before Toph walked off, intentionally hitting the staff against each tree she could as if she were using it as a blindman's pole but without concern for the pole.

"You gonna just take that man?" Ranma asked, looking at a fuming Aang.

"I'm not going to use force against someone who's not actually using force first." The young monk replied.

"So that's it? Let someone get away with whatever they want as long as they aren't hitting someone?" Ranma asked. "How do you expect to defend the world from the Fire Nation if you won't even defend yourself from one blind girl?"

"Well if you're so strong, why don't you be the Avatar instead?" Aang all but yelled, storming off. Ranma did not follow.

After a bit Aang reached the edge of the forest. "Aang!" He heard Sokka call out. "Thank goodness! Have you got any meat?"

"Sokka! Are you okay? What happened to you?" Aang rushed over and saw Sokka was trapped up to his shoulders in a very narrow crevice, with only his head and hands poking out but the rest of his body too confined to do anything about it. Laying on the ground were his machete and boomerang, and his hairband was gone so his hair was all ruffled instead of in his wolftail.

"Oh nothing, just looking for a new home. Could use some new curtains though." Sokka sarcastically joked, then got serious. "What do you _think_ happened Aang? Get me out of here."

Aang grabbed the boy's hands and pulled. "Agh! Stop! Stop!" Sokka yelled in pain. "You're going to pull my fingers off and I don't think the rest of me is coming!"

Aang stepped back and scratched his head. "Hmm... I bet I can airbend you out of there." He thrust his arms down and created a powerful gust of wind, but all he ended up doing for Sokka was making his hair stand straight up and filling his eyes and nose with dust. And his weapons falling on his head.

"Seriously Aang, I know you're new at it, but I could use a little earthbending here. How about it?"

Aang paused and looked away. "I can't. I can't do it."

"Well if you can't earthbend me out of here then go get Toph." Sokka told him.

"I can't do that either." Aang replied.

"You can't? Why not?" The Water Tribe boy asked.

"It would just be really... uncomfortable." The Air Nomad admitted, knowing that going to her now like this would mean admitting that she's been completely right about him.

"Uncomfortable? Well, I wouldn't want you to feel uncomfortable." Sokka said sarcastically.

"Thanks Sokka." Aang replied, missing the sarcasm and sitting next to the older boy. "This whole earthbending thing has me confused. There's so much pressure, everyone expects me to get it right away. It puts me in a really awkward position."

"Awkward position... I think I know the feeling." Sokka muttered.

"If I try, I fail. But if I don't try I'm never going to get it. I feel like I'm caught between a rock and a hard place."

'Is he seriously saying all this by accident?' Sokka asked, not seeing how Aang can so easily be missing the hints he's being given. "Hmm... how 'bout that?" He claimed, hoping that someone would show up and do what Aang was stopping himself from doing.

At this time the small animal, a creature that looked like an herbivore but with paws, came back up to Sokka. "Aang this is my friend Foo Foo Cuddly Poops. Foo Foo Cuddly Poops, Aang."

Aang saw the animal and smiled before picking it up. "Aww... what a cute name for a little baby saber-toothed moose-lion cub."

"Really? He looks nothing like a saber-toothed moose-lion." Sokka asked, aware of what the adult version of said animal looked like,

"It's hard to tell before their giant teeth and horns grow in." Aang pointed out. "Whatcha doing out here little guy? Did you lose your momma?"

As if irony was a sentient force waiting to be tempted, a loud angry growl was heard from afar, and both boys turned around, Sokka less than Aang, to see a full grown saber-toothed moose-lion complete with fangs and antlers tower over some shrubs. And it did not look happy.

* * *

"Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy." Iroh said as he showed Zuko and Ryoga movements inspired by the Water Tribe. It looked similar to some tai chi Ryoga had seen in his travels. "A waterbender lets their defense become their offense, turning their opponent's energy against them. I learned a way to do this with lightning."

"You can teach me to redirect lightning?" Zuko asked when he realized what his uncle was getting at.

"Without being hurt by it?" Ryoga added.

Iroh nodded. "If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it." He then extended his right arm, using his left arm to point at his fingertips. "You must create a pathway from your fingertips, up your arm," Now he pointed to his right shoulder. "To your shoulder. Then down into your stomach." He made a ring around his stomach. "The stomach is the source of energy in your body. It is called the sea of chi. Only in my case it's more like a vast ocean."

Again neither boy laughed at his attempt at humor, but that didn't stop him from laughing.

"From the stomach, you direct it up again and out the other arm." He showed this by pointing his left arm out now. "The stomach detour is critical. You must not let the lightning pass through your heart." He poked Zuko's chest for emphasis. "Or the damage could be deadly."

Zuko and Ryoga nodded.

"You may wish to try a physical motion, to get a feel for the pathway's flow. Like this." Iroh instructed, resuming his outstretched arm stance which the two teens mimicked. The motions involved were just like the ones he demonstrated earlier, and they started going back and forth between right arm out and left arm out.

"Now, are you two focusing your energy?" Iroh asked. "Can you both feel your own chi flowing in, down, up, and out?"

"I think so." Zuko said.

"I'm not sure, but I can feel something." Ryoga added, feeling his ki cooperate.

"Come on, you got to feel the flow." Iroh said while performing some unrelated waving motions with his arms.

This continued on well into the time the sun was just barely still providing light. Storm clouds were heading towards them, and judging from the amount of sky they obscured it was going to be a nasty one.

"Excellent, you both got it." Iroh praised and let them stop.

"Great. I'm ready to try with real lightning." Zuko declared.

"What, are you crazy?" Iroh asked. "Lightning is very dangerous."

"I thought that was the point. You teaching me how to protect myself from it." Zuko countered.

Iroh fumed a bit, bothered by his nephew's desire to do something like this. "Yeah but I'm not going to shoot lightning at you." He then turned away. "If you're lucky you'll never have to use this technique at all." Before the teens could protest, he started walking off.

"Then what was the point of all this?" Ryoga fumed but was ignored. "It's like teaching someone how to swim yet refusing to let them near water!"

Zuko looked to the stormclouds, hearing the low rumble of thunder started. And thunder meant lightning. "Well if you won't help me, I'll find my own lightning."

"Me too." Ryoga said.

Iroh did not bother stopping the boys from getting on the ostrich-horse and seeking a good spot to find lightning. 'Like I said, some lessons need to be learned the hard way.'

* * *

"Hey there, we found your cub." Aang said nervously, hoping to pacify the giant threat. He put down the cub, and it ran up to it's parent like you'd expect of a young mammal. "See? We have no problem with you. We're friendly."

The moose-lion growled and huffed, swinging its head as if trying to make itself look more threatening than it already did.

"Aang this is bad! You gotta get me out of here!" Sokka pleaded, knowing he was a bigger sitting turtle-duck than an actual one.

The moose-lion charged and Sokka screamed. But before the behemoth could get to either of them, Aang did some airbending to lift it off the ground and throw it up and over him. The moose-lion landed on its fight and looked back at Aang and snarled, as if to say if the monk wanted a fight he was going to get one.

"This is _really_ bad." Sokka proclaimed. "Please Aang, you _have_ to earthbend me out! There's no other way!"

Reluctant for a moment, Aang had to forgo any discomfort and doubt to try and save his friend. He got a firm stance and moved his arms rigidly with upward thrusts, but nothing happened.

The moose-lion pawed at the ground like an angry hippo-bull, so Aang tried something different. Using airbending, he moved away from Sokka and atop a rock pillar. "Hey! Look at me!" He then started dancing to make himself look like a more interesting target, thus sparing Sokka.

It didn't work, the moose-lion ran towards Sokka who clenched his eyes shut. Acting on impulse, Aang lunged at the giant animal and used airbending to maximize his thrust and impact, hitting the creature in the side and knocking it away, but it still wasn't done.

"Please, don't leave me again." Sokka asked, sounding like he was too afraid to even blink now.

"I won't." Aang reassured him, knowing this was a fight neither could escape or change. The only option left was Toph's personal favorite, head-on frontal assault until you win.

The moose-lion charged again, and Aang took up the horse stance again, this time willing to face the dangerous thing coming his way. His face showed no fear, and while he was afraid, he wasn't going to let it control him this time. With a forceful shove, he airbent a current that swept the moose-lion off its feet and shoved it until it collided with a cliff.

It seemed the animal had finally had enough, and walked off to find simpler prey.

Then all of a sudden, both boys could hear clapping. When the dust cleared enough, Aang could see Toph seated comfortable doing the clapping. Her eyes weren't open, but in her case that was a moot point.

"What are you doing here?" Sokka asked.

"Just enjoying the show." She answered calmly.

"What? You were there the whole time?" Aang asked, not surprised that he hadn't noticed her with the threat being more prominent to his attention.

"Pretty much." She admitted.

"Why didn't you do something?" Aang asked, pointing at her. "Sokka was in trouble. _I_ was in trouble. You could have gotten him out and helped us get away."

"Guess it just didn't occur to me." Toph said unapologetically, then threw another nut to the ground and got Aang's staff to crush it.

Before she could, Aang came up and grabbed the heirloom. "Enough! I want my staff back."

She released the staff and jumped from her seat. "Do it now!"

"What? He asked, in no mood for more of her games.

"Earthbend Twinkle Toes." She told him, poking him in the chest. "You just stood your ground against a crazy beast. And even more impressive, you stood your ground against me. You've got the stuff."

"But-"

"Do it!"

Lightly confused, Aang looked at the nearest large stone, took the horse stance again, and thrust a fist, this time treating it as if it were no different then the moose-lion. And this time, the rock responded by flying back like it had been shot out of a cannon.

"You did it! You're an earthbender." Toph said with an approving nod.

"I can't believe it." Aang said happily, more proud of himself now than he had been in a while. 'Maybe this is what Ranma meant, standing up for myself doesn't mean I'm being a bad guy.'

"Ah, this is really a wonderful touching moment, so could you get me out of here so I can give you both a big snuggly hug?" Sokka asked, hoping this time Aang would take the hint.

"No problem Sokka." Aang said, coming up to the trapped teen.

"Actually, you should probably let me do that." Toph countered, stopping the airbender. "You're still a little new to this. You might accidentally crush him."

"Yeah no crushing please." Sokka requested.

With a simple stomp, Toph made Sokka rise out of the ground like a sprouting plant, and grabbed his head to help uproot him, then let him fall to the ground. By this point Sokka had no feeling left in his legs, so it would take a moment for him to regain the ability to stand up on his own.

* * *

"You found him!" Katara said happily when she saw the three of them come walking to her, and came up to hug her brother. Behind her were Ranma, Shampoo, and Appa.

"The whole time I was in that hole, not knowing if I would live or die, it makes a man think about what's really important. I realize-" Sokka stated.

"Hey Katara!" Aang interjected. "Look what I can do!" He made another thrust and a large stone formation got cut in two with the top half falling over.

"You did it! I knew you would!" Katara cheered. Then she looked to Toph. "You tried the positive reinforcement didn't you?" She whispered.

"Yep, it worked wonders." Toph admitted, without clarifying what exactly she had done as her form of positive reinforcement.

Appa returned from a long day of grazing and Aang ran up to him. "Appa! I can earthbend now. The key is being completely rooted, both physically and mentally unmovable."

Appa chose to lick his master, which ended up showing how physically unmovable the Avatar actually was. When Aang fell on his face, Sokka laughed loudly and the others in the group joined in.

* * *

It was early night and the rain was pouring when Zuko and Ryoga found a spot they accepted. It was atop a small peak, nothing around for lightning to strike except themselves.

"You've always thrown everything you could at me!" Zuko yelled, as if yelling at the universe itself. "Well I can take it! And now I can give it back!"

Moments later, lightning flashed nearby but not near enough for him to do anything with it, making the scarred firebender more determined. "Go on! Strike me! You've never held back before!"

No lightning fired, and Zuko couldn't help but cry. To him it was like the universe was taunting him, saying it wouldn't give him the satisfaction of striking back. He could only fall to his knees and shout in angst with his arms thrown up.


	9. Seeking Answers

**Legends of the Four Masters**  
_#09—Seeking Answers_

Knowing that it was a bad idea to stay in one place for too long, Appa took the group in a new direction.

"Where are we going?" Kasumi asked, sitting in the saddle while occasionally glancing over the bison to see the ground under them.

"We need to get to Ba Sing Se, but before we go there we need to find some intel on the Fire Nation." Sokka told her, sharpening his machete.

"The problem is we don't know where to look for it without actually going to the Fire Nation or one of its colonies." Katara continued. "So for the time being, we're kind of just stalling for time."

"Any ideas Miss Know-It-All?" Toph asked Kasumi.

The oldest Tendo girl shook her head. "Sadly no, I'm as uncertain as you are."

"Why not just find a town and ask people if they know a place to look?" Ranma suggested.

Aang perked in his seat. "Actually that's a great idea."

"No, no it isn't." Sokka claimed, waving his arms in front of himself in defiance. "You're talking about going to a town of strangers and asking them if they not only have classified information but are willing to give it to you out of the kindness of their hearts? Anyone who has information on the Fire Nation that can be used against them would be very fishy to me."

"Actually, he's got a point." Katara agreed. "The Fire Nation wouldn't want the Earth Kingdom finding out how to fight back, so your average civilian wouldn't have any knowledge on it beyond normal information you can just find in a book. Only a soldier would have what we're looking for, and we can't exactly ask one of them for help."

"And good luck finding another hiding firebender like Jeong Jeong." Kasumi added. "What about the Mechanist? He might know some things since he had to build for the Fire Nation at the Northern Air Temple."

"Yeah, but building things is all he did know. The Fire Nation didn't want to risk him selling his weapons to the Earth Kingdom and having them used against them." Sokka answered.

"Oh, that makes sense." Kasumi replied. 'Wait, why am I trying to give them ideas anyway? This may not be the show but surely something's going to come along and move their adventure forward in the right direction. That how tv shows work. And even though we've established this isn't the show itself, I see no reason to believe if left alone it will be any different event-wise.'

"Alright, so just asking around is probably not going to do any good, but can I put out just one thing?" Rama asked, and the Water Tribe siblings nodded. "Unless I'm mistaken, right now the only alternatives are flying around looking and hope we get lucky, or going to the Fire Nation itself. So what will it be?"

There was a dead silence for a bit.

"Talking to someone it is then." Aang resigned, looking for a town they can try it at.

* * *

"Very good Ryoga, you have the most basic aspects of firebending down." Iroh said while seeing the lost boy perfect the art of throwing fire from his body, namely his fists, feet, and even mouth.

"It's strange, I know it should be hot but it just feels warm instead. I don't even feel sweaty." Ryoga commented.

"That is because in the very beginning, the fire is little more than your own chi being granted release from your body while being empowered by your own body heat. You can't burn yourself with body heat after all. However, once the chi leaves your body, it is no longer mere body heat, it is true flame and that can burn anyone. Even yourself."

"So as long as the chi stays chi, it is harmless. But once I ignite it so to speak, then it's dangerous." Ryoga summarized.

"Yes. Now, making the fire is only part of firebending. You need to learn the proper katas too." The old man said, showing him a simple stance with his knees bent and his left arm extended while his right arm was pulled back. "The right form will ensure the fire goes where you want it to go. The wrong form will make fire go pretty much anywhere except where you want it to go."

Iroh then mimed a firebending maneuver without actually producing fire. He pulled back his left arm and shot out his right, then reversed this move and ended with a side kick with his right leg. After that, he did the inverse of the kata, with each left and right move switched around in the same order.

"Try practicing that for a bit. This will help you work on your aim and the range of your attacks, while allowing you to also get some more power into your legs. The more mobile you can be, the better your bending will become."

Ryoga nodded. "If you don't mind, there's this one idea I want to try first, just to see if it works."

Iroh shrugged. "Sure, go ahead."

The lost boy removed two of his bandanna's and using his chi was able to make them be like razors, not unlike what Kodachi would do with her gymnast ribbon. He threw them, but this time the bandanna's were on fire, creating what looked like small wheels of flame flying through the air until they landed and ignited some grass.

Iroh looked impressed. "Wow, didn't expect that. Wait, how many of those things do you have on your head?" He asked when he noticed Ryoga still had a bandanna on.

"Quite a few, one of my family's methods, the Iron Cloth techniques. We put our chi into the cloth and the weave of the fabric sort of catches it like a web and is reinforced by it, basically hardening it into a weapon. I should practice more, I can usually throw them farther than that. The fire must affect it while flying."

"Go ahead and practice that some more, but don't forget the kata I showed you. I'm going to go see if Zuko has gotten back from foraging yet." The old man said then walked away, leaving the lost boy to do some more practicing.

* * *

A town came into view and Appa landed away from it, everyone aboard hoping he hadn't been spotted.

"Okay, if we're really going to do this, I have a request." Sokka whispered, like he was afraid of being overheard.

"You can speak up you know. We're not being watched." Ranma said.

"You can't be too sure. Anyway, I have more of a plan than a request." Sokka continued, still whispering and looking over his shoulder once. "Aang has gotten pretty recognizable over the months, and so have the rest of us. However, I don't think anyone nearby would recognize Toph, and certainly not the three of you."

Kasumi smiled. "We're still anonymous, so it won't be as big a red flag if we go in asking questions. Good idea."

Sokka nodded. "Do any of you have any actual skill in finding things people don't want you to find?"

Shampoo nodded. "I do. I once tracked this boy here across two countries." She pointed to Ranma with her thumb at the reference point.

"That's good. But you might stand out a bit too much. You should probably do something to make yourself look less memorable." The Water Tribe boy claimed.

'He's got a point. Purple hair, red eyes, Chinese accent, silk clothes, and buxom figure, Shampoo doesn't exactly blend in with the crowd.'' Kasumi thought. "True, but I doubt making a wig and fake beard out of Appa's fur will work this time."

"Hmm... good point. And we don't really have anything to change her appearance." Katara mused, hand on her chin.

"I got an idea." Ranma offered. "Why not try the opposite approach?"

"The opposite approach? What, you mean make her even more recognizable?" Sokka asked skeptically.

Ranma nodded. "If she's going to be noticed no matter what, why not make it so people notice her too much to notice anyone else?"

Sokka blinked, then smiled and snapped his fingers. "That might just be crazy enough to work."

* * *

In the town one boy with a scarred face was looking around.

"There's got to be a way to make some quick money here without resorting to begging." Zuko said to himself quietly, looking at what the market offered. "Uncle might be okay with it, but if I become a beggar, it's like giving up completely on my heritage."

He looked around, trying to find anything that offered something akin to prize money. It would be easier to win some money than earn enough for doing a job for a few hours. And with some money he could get provisions that would do them more good than anything he could forage for. The hard part was foraging for the money first, without resorting to asking for donations.

The loud sound of something collapsing briefly caught his attention, and Zuko quickly saw a gathering crowd. They appeared to be cheering on some kind of contest.

Seeing no reason not to, Zuko went in for a closer look, and got quiet a surprise. He saw a low stone table in the middle of the street, and there were two people arm-wrestling. One of them was your standard strong man type of person, the kind you'd expect to be doing this sort of thing. But the other was a girl with purple hair who looked almost as old as Zuko himself, and yet somehow she was giving the strong man an actual challenge.

"Come on man, you can do it!" One of the people in the crowd cheered.

"What's this about?" Zuko asked, wondering why people seemed to be cheering on the guy instead of the girl, like he was the one who needed the support instead.

"Oh this chick made a bet with this one guy that she could beat him in arm-wrestling and somehow she won. She's already beaten ten men since then, earning some serious dough. The one who finally beats her will get it all from her." The cheering guy explained.

'This girl's beaten ten grown men in arm-wrestling?' Zuko asked, not sure if he should be impressed or skeptical. He looked back at the match only to see the girl claim the win, getting some cheers and boos and of course accusations of cheating.

"Alright, who wants to suffer next?" Shampoo, asked while rotating her arm, not looking at all winded.

"I'll take you on." Zuko said, stepping forward.

The girl just smiled at him. "If you lose, you have to give me five copper pieces or one gold piece. If you win, you get everything I've earned so far." She held up a small bag that jingled from many coins already inside it.

"I will win." Zuko said confidently, taking his spot across from her and getting his arm ready. 'I have to, I could use that money, and I can't pay her if I lose.' She sat down and they linked hands, about to count down to starting. 'I don't know what her secret to winning is, but I've got one of my own.'

"One... two... three!" Shampoo counted, then started applying pressure against Zuko's arm. Not too much right away, lest she risk snapping the bones, but enough to show him that he needed to earn this victory.

'Boy, she's stronger than she looks.' The banished prince thought, struggling to hold his own against the Amazon. It soon became apparent he was nowhere near a match for her in brute strength. 'Time for my ace up my sleeve.'

Using a minor application of firebending, Zuko made the palm of his hand get much hotter very quickly, virtually scalding, which Shampoo was unprepared for. She cried out in pain and tried to escape his grip, which gave her opponent enough leverage to overcome her in her lack of concentration and claim the win.

The crowd was stunned silent for a moment, but the shock soon faded and everyone cheered for the boy who finally beat the super-strong girl.

Her hand freed, Shampoo started blowing on it to soothe the burn. 'Sure hope this doesn't leave a scar.' She briefly looked to Zuko, handing him the money bag with her good hand. 'He's a firebender. He cheated to win. But since this town is full of firebenders, calling him out on it won't do me any good. Better to just let him have the money. I've done what I needed to do anyway.'

Zuko saw her accusing look, but instead of following up on it she gave him his prize and left, holding her hand. 'She's letting me get away with it? Why?' He was grateful, as this meant he wouldn't have to put up with any fuss to come, but he was nonetheless confused by this.

"Good job man." The guy who last arm-wrestled Shampoo said, patting Zuko on the back. "Now, if you don't mind, I'll be taking that money now."

"Hey! I won It fair and square!" Zuko objected, knowing he was wrong but it was the principle of the issue.

"And I'm taking it back fair and square." The guy said, looking ready to hit something. Seeing this, other men who lost money to Shampoo started to gather around too, figuring they might as well try to take their lost money back too.

"Hold on a moment." A brunette woman said calmly, walking up to the gathering men. "Let's not act like children here. Be adults and accept your loses maturely."

"Maybe we don't want to." One of the men replied. "What are you going to do about it then? Fight us all?"

"Oh no, I hate fighting." The brunette said calmly, throwing the men off but not dousing their enthusiasm. "I'm just going to make you calm down first."

All of a sudden, without warning, the men around her sans Zuko were pulled into the ground and trapped to just above their waists, leaving their arms free but unable to reach them.

"By the time you get out, hopefully you'll be less of sore losers." The woman said, then looked to Zuko. "You're welcome by the way."

"I could have handled it." He stated.

"I'm sure you could." She said then started walking off.

"Hold it." Zuko said, coming towards her.

At the same time this was going on, a young blind girl no one was paying attention to hid behind a wall. 'Kasumi can handle the rest from here, better go check on how that Ranma guy is doing on his end.' She walked away, no one ever knowing she had been the one to do the earthbending while Kasumi had merely distracted them.

"Yes?" Kasumi asked, looking to the banished prince.

"Why did you do that for me?" He asked. "Not to say I'm not grateful, I just don't see what was in it for you."

"It seemed like a good way to get your attention." She answered.

"What do you want from me?" Zuko asked, convinced this woman wasn't just being nice if she wanted his specific attention.

"I need to get some tea for my grandfather but I don't remember what he likes. Do you know any that an old man would enjoy?" Kasumi lied, knowing this would be something Zuko wouldn't be suspicious about.

"If he's anything like my uncle he won't be too picky, but yeah I know a few brands I could suggest." He said. "I'm not much of a shopper though, could you maybe help me find some things I'm looking for?"

Kasumi nodded. "I'm no stranger to markets."

* * *

'How much longer will this take? I can't keep this up forever.' Ranma thought while going through some folders in a vacant office where Fire Nation patrolmen did some work.

The plan had been simple but required perfect timing. Shampoo was to draw a lot of attention with one of her displays, while Toph kept an eye out for her to ensure she didn't get into trouble. While this went on, Kasumi would try to ask around since her basic physical description was generic enough to avoid making her easy to find later, and Ranma would use his Umi-Senken to sneak into someplace where soldiers from the Fire Nation worked.

The problem naturally was it would only work as long as Shampoo held people's attention, and he was running low on time before someone came back. Granted the Umi-Senken made him unnoticeable, but the pigtailed boy hadn't practiced it too much lately beyond getting some quiet moments here and there in. He didn't want to risk it giving out in front of someone.

'Don't these guys have anything we can use?' Ranma thought, putting away a folder that was filled with details on local concerns like making sure the nearby farms were in order and patrols had certain schedules. He grabbed another one, this one having a thin scroll attached to it, and opened it.

_The search for Admiral Zhao's secret source of intel is proving difficult. If he is to be believed, there exists a place within a few days travel from here that contains all the knowledge on all the four nations._

Ranma blinked. 'Now this sounds promising.'

_If such a place exists, it would be a great boon to the Fire Nation in our conquest of the Earth Kingdom and the eventual conquest of the Water Tribe. Naturally many of us were skeptical regarding whether or not Admiral Zhao was even telling the truth regarding this source of intel he supposedly has. Made all the more suspicious by his refusal to disclose where it is or even bring it up unless it is to his own ends. Clearly if the commander has such knowledge at his disposal, he is reserving it for himself for his own advance in rank._

_It is only the fact that when he does provide intel that it has led to several vital victories for the Fire Nation that Admiral Zhao has been allowed to get away with this. Thanks to his input about Earth Kingdom defenses most of the western continent has been taken under our control, though we have yet to make any advances towards taking Ba Sing Se. Many suspect he is saving that information for only if he is allowed to be the one to take credit for a successful takeover. If he has the information at all. Many also suspect he is bluffing in that regard, hence why he won't provide it even when ordered by superior officers._

Ranma turned a page. 'This Zhao guy sounds like Nabiki in a way.'

_Because of Admiral Zhao's difficulty in cooperating, withholding the best intel for his own goals..._

'Yep, more and more like Nabiki.' Ranma couldn't help but add.

_Because of Admiral Zhao's difficulty in cooperating, withholding the best intel for his own goals, several searches for the source of his intel have been underway. Any city nearby with anything like a library or school or even a prophet have been checked and rechecked, only to give us nothing that we did not already know._

The sound of footsteps approaching drew Ranma's attention away. 'No time to read the rest.' He closed the folder and slipped it inside his shirt, the scroll getting caught and hanging outside his shirt. The door opened and people walked in, just barely missing the pigtailed teen cling to the ceiling above them.

'I hope the Umi-Senken is still working.' He thought, with the scroll dangling down just above the armor-wearing soldier's heads.

"What did you think of that arm-wrestling babe?" One of the soldiers asked.

"She was damn sexy, made me think she could put that arm of hers to better use if you know what I mean." The other said in a lewd manner, elbowing his partner. Ranma frowned when he heard this, getting the unspoken meaning.

"I dunno, with the kind of strength she has I'd say that's one body part you wouldn't want her touching." The first soldier replied, getting the message just as well.

"Didn't say she had to use only her hands. The rest of her would do just as well to satisfy me." The lewd soldier adding, lightly laughing to himself. "You can't tell me you wouldn't do anything with her if you had the chance."

"I'm a man aren't I? If I had the chance of course I'd be all over that. What guy wouldn't?" The less lewd soldier commented.

Now Ranma was getting really upset, for more than one reason. For one, these men were easier ten years older than Shampoo yet talking about having their way with her. But the main reason was because this sounded too much like the boys in Furinkan High who talked about what they'd do if they could have their way with any of Ranma's fiancees, insulting him at the same time for not making any attempts of his own to get in any girl's pants. And if that wasn't bad enough, there had been times when boys had talked about what they'd do to his girl form if they could when they thought he hadn't been listening.

Unfortunately he had bigger problems, the folder was starting to slip in his shirt, getting close to falling out. 'I'm not staying here any longer.' He told himself, dropping down from the roof behind them. Rather than risk them not noticing him, he grabbed their helmeted heads and clanged them together as hard as he could.

The two collapsed in a heap and he departed quickly.

* * *

"So you don't live here?" Zuko asked Kasumi when they were looking over stuff to by, namely food and supplies that could be carried rather than stored away.

Kasumi shook her head, eyes focused on some vegetables that appealed to her. "No, I... left home to be honest." It actually wasn't a lie.

"Why? Were you unhappy there?" Zuko asked.

Kasumi closed her eyes for a moment. "I wasn't unhappy. It's more like..." She struggled to find the right way to put it. "I was unfulfilled. Trapped by a routine that was eating away at me, reducing me to a background character in my own home."

"What made you leave?"

She lightly chuckled. "Actually, it was just dumb luck. I was offered to go somewhere for a bit of fun out of town and well... due to some unforeseen circumstances going back home is impossible for me."

"What do you mean?" Zuko asked, certain she was being vague on purpose. He could sympathize, but that didn't mean he was any less curious.

"I was going to go see a show out of town." Kasumi explained, stretching the truth to avoid admitting it all. "It was something I almost never got the chance to do. Along the way, some girls from the Fire Nation decided to have some fun with my group. One of them claiming to be the princess." She noticed Zuko's jolt but didn't call attention to it, instead pausing a bit to make an actual purchase with the merchant.

"The princess, if that indeed was her, isn't exactly the kind to just let someone she's 'having fun with' walk away." Zuko said vaguely but accurately.

"I had some pretty good defenders with me. Anyway, when we got away naturally going home was on our mind but..." She did not know how to explain that part. "Let's just say I might not have a home to go back to anymore."

'For all we know I'm stuck here until the end of the series. Clearly not the end of the episode, at best the end of the season.' Kasumi thought, wondering just what all the terms and conditions of the ticket's magic had been. 'And for all we know, there's no going back at all. I could be stuck here for the rest of my life. Well, I could think of worse franchises to be stuck in.'

"What do you plan to do?" Zuko asked, sympathizing with feeling like you can't go home again.

'Now's my chance.' The oldest Tendo girl thought, building up to this moment. "My mom's gone, but I recall she came from the Fire Nation. I kind of want to go there, see if there's any family there, and see the place she used to call home. Thing is, I don't know where to start looking on how to get there. Right now my only clue is head west until I find the ocean."

Now this was a definite lie, but the goal was to get information on the Fire Nation and surely Zuko was a good source. The only hard part was getting him to provide any, hence Kasumi's act.

"If you're an earthbender, you're probably better off staying away from the Fire Nation." Zuko warning, remembering what made these two meet in the first place.

"You might be right." Kasumi said, throwing in a sad sigh to be more convincing. "I just wish I could at least learn something about the Fire Nation other than it's hot and where Mom came from."

"I wish I could help you, really I do. I often wonder where my mother is right now." The burned firebender said to her.

Kasumi hid her surprise. 'His mom's missing? Was that something in the show I hadn't seen yet?'

"But I don't know where you can go to get that kind of stuff here. I've been kind of busy looking for other things." Zuko admitted. "Speaking of which, I probably should get back to my uncle."

Kasumi nodded. "Alright, thanks for the help Zuko."

The two walked away, and just mere moments after they faced away did they realize what Kasumi had just said.

"How did you know my name?" Zuko asked, facing her again.


	10. Burning Mists

**Legends of the Four Masters**  
_#10—Burning Mist_

"I'm back." Ranma said, appearing at the campsite, seeing Katara tend to Shampoo's hand. "What happened?"

"A firebender decided to give me a little memento." Shampoo answered.

"There, that's as good as it's going to get with my help." Katara said, pulling away her water. Shampoo looked at her hand, which now only looked sunburned at worst.

"Where's Toph and Kasumi?" Sokka asked.

"I dunno, I thought they'd be back by now." Ranma said. "Maybe they found something like I did." He took out the folder and scroll that was still attached.

"What's that?" Aang asked.

"You tell me. I think it's a start." He held it to the bald monk, who opened it. Sokka and Katara started reading over his shoulders. Momo jumped onto Sokka's shoulder, making it look like he too was trying to read it.

* * *

Kasumi looked around, trying to see a way to escape. The odds of her being able to outrun someone much more physically active than her were low. Not to say Kasumi was out of shape, far from it, she didn't spend all day lounging around the house after all. But she knew her only real chance at escape required something interfering with Zuko more.

"Who are you? How do you know me?" He pressed, looking at her like she was an enemy.

"I am not your enemy Zuko." She told him, hoping to pacify him.

"I have no friends, so what else could you be?" He challenged.

'I've got no choice, anything else will be seen through.' The housekeeper thought to herself, resigned to her only reasonable option. "You really want to know? Okay, I'm not from here. I'm from somewhere like the spirit realm where I've been watching you and several others for quite some time. Now I'm forced to interact instead of just watch."

Zuko looked about as convinced as one could expect of him. "That's a pretty pathetic lie."

"I can prove it." Kasumi said calmly. "You got that burn from your father in an Agni Kai."

"Not good enough." The banished prince said, not convinced.

"You've been pursuing the Avatar for several years, and you found him in the South Pole but he got away. You encountered him several times since then but it wasn't until the North Pole where you really came close to taking him captive. But you were unable to yet again thanks to his friends and his own surge in power, and since then you've been wondering if the pursuit is worth it anymore."

Zuko was silent, taking this all in. "Eerily accurate, but I'm not fully convinced. If you are what you say you are, why would you be nice to me? Wouldn't you see me as a threat to the Avatar?"

"I'm not a spirit, I'm not required to be on the Avatar's side." Kasumi clarified. "And while I do support Aang's group in what they're doing, I know you are not completely bad. You are not Azula, you're just trying to get back home. You just want your old life back. You're not trying to hurt Aang because he's a threat to you. That's more what Azula or Ozai would do."

Zuko's face reflected his surprise. 'In all my travels, I don't think I've heard anyone other than Uncle show sympathy to my struggle. Even the men who accompanied us thought of me as some kind of glory seeker for a time. Like I was after the Avatar simply because I wanted the fame of catching him.'

"Zuko, can I ask you some things?" Kasumi requested.

"I suppose so." He said.

"First let's find a place to sit down."

* * *

"Hi everyone." Toph said when she came to the campsite. "Wait, is someone not on the ground at the moment? I could swear there's one person missing."

"Where's Kasumi?" Ranma asked, having expected the housekeeper to return with the blind girl.

"I thought she was already here. She isn't?" Toph replied.

"We should go looking for her." Aang said, grabbing his staff and opening the wings on it.

"No Aang, not you." Katara interjected. "If you do something now it makes the whole attempt to hide pointless."

"Not completely pointless. We did get this." Sokka said, holding up the folder and looking over the scroll, which apparently was a map of the central part of the Earth Kingdom, below a large desert.

"Got what?" Toph asked.

"A folder telling some old reports regarding that hothead Zhao. Apparently when he learned how to kill the moon spirit..." Sokka started, pausing a bit because this brought up memories of Yue. "...it got the attention of the Fire Nation who thought he should have shared his source. Which he refused."

"And this is supposed to help us?" Toph asked, skeptically.

Sokka nodded. "It could. We don't know how or where, but Zhao did learn about the moon spirit before he got to the North Pole. If we could find where he learned this, we might be able to learn something that can be used against the Fire Nation too."

"As long as it doesn't require doing something like killing the sun spirit of course." Katara added.

"We're not that desperate, but I'm sure there's something we can learn there." Sokka claimed.

"Sounds like it's worth a try. Only hard part is finding it since this Zhao guy made sure not to tell anyone." Ranma commented.

"Which is why we should check out some of the places Zhao has been known to be at within the past year." Sokka added, looking at a list of places the Fire Nation soldiers trying to learn Zhao's secret knew he had been to. "There's Jade Mountain, Cherry Woods, Misty Palms Oasis-"

"Oh I know that last one." Aang suddenly said. "It's on the edge of a desert yet has a pristine ice fountain. And I don't use the word 'pristine' for just anything. It's supposed to be one of the wonders of the world."

"And according to this, it's the only place noted for Zhao to be seen at more than once." Sokka added, pointing at the document. "Considering this outpost has no military stationed nearby and it's too far inland for a navy officer to be in on business, that makes it more suspicious."

"Let's start there." Katara suggested. "It's not that far from here on the map, and if nothing else the ice fountain would be worth the trip."

"For now though, I'm going to go get Kasumi back here." Ranma said, standing up.

"I'll come with you Airen." Shampoo said.

"Why don't you two stay here in case she comes back and I'll go get here?" Toph offered.

"Why you?" Ranma asked

"I could find an anthill in a yard just by standing in place. You think I can't find one woman in a village?"

"But we'd recognize her better than you could." Ranma argued.

"Yes, but soldiers might have spotted you and we know that people saw Yokel here." Toph brought up.

"Would you quit calling me that?!" Shampoo asked.

"She's got a point. No one's going to think she's suspicious if she's the one looking for Kasumi." Katara noted, seeing the blind girl's logic.

"I won't be long, I promise." Toph said, then went back towards town.

* * *

Kasumi and Zuko were sitting on a bench next to a pond where some birds that looked like a cross between toucans and flamingos were wading, looking for something to eat.

"The animals in this world sure are interesting." Kasumi noted.

"What did you want to ask me?" Zuko asked, wanting to get to the point.

Kasumi took an apple out of her bag and handed it to him, then taking one for herself. "Zuko, do you want your father to win this war?"

This was certainly not want Zuko had been expecting to be asked. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't I want it?"

"Tell me, what do you think will happen if he does." She said next.

"You tell me if you know me so well." Zuko challenged.

"I don't know everything about you Zuko. But I have thought of some things, things you might not have. That's why I want to know what you think about this war before I tell you anything I know that might help you."

The banished prince looked like he didn't appreciate this, but he wasn't going to attack the woman next to him just because she was being cryptic. "This war is really a way for the Fire Nation to share what makes our culture so grand with the rest of the world. When we win, all of the world will be as blessed as the Fire Nation. We're doing this to help the Earth Kingdom and later the Water Tribes."

Kasumi gave him a look that was impossible for him to decipher. It was like she herself didn't know how to react to this. Then, all a sudden, she facepalmed.

"This could only be believable in a kids show." She muttered to herself.

"What?" Zuko asked, not catching what she said.

The housekeeper removed her hand from her face. "Zuko, do you _really_ not see the problem in what you just said?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your country isn't helping the world at all, it's only helping itself." Kasumi claimed.

Zuko frowned. "That's not true!"

"I can prove it."

"Sure you can." Zuko scoffed, looking away.

"Just hear me out. If you're not convinced when I'm done, I'll never bother you again." Kasumi requested.

Zuko slowly looked back to her, his characteristic bad mood look on full display, but he did not show any signs of refusing her.

"You say the Fire Nation is doing this for the Earth Kingdom's own good. If so, then why are they resisting?" Kasumi started.

"It's natural for someone to resist some changes." Zuko justified.

"For a hundred years?" Kasumi asked, to which the burned firebender had no response. "Even so, why did you kill off the Air Nomads? Were they undeserving of the blessings that you were willing to share with the other two groups?"

"The Air Nomads resisted too much. They offended the Fire Nation in a way that led us with no choice but to do what we did." Zuko justified.

Kasumi frowned at him. "The Air Nomads? The most pacifistic of all the nations? The smallest one and the only one without any form of an organized militia? And _they_ were the ones who put up the most resistance?"

"They were hiding the Avatar. They refused to cooperate when the Fire Nation tried to make a deal with them." Zuko insisted, but at the same time he could see her point.

"Let me guess, the Fire Nation said 'hand over the Avatar or perish'." Kasumi asked dryly.

"No it wasn't like that."

"Then what was the deal that led to a genocide of an entire culture by your culture's hands?" Kasumi challenged. "Why did the Fire Nation want the Avatar so badly? What did they intend to do with him? For that matter, what do you think your father intends to do with the Avatar if you or your sister bring Aang to him?"

"He'd work to persuade the Avatar to fight for us rather than against us, and if the Avatar refuses, which frankly I'm certain he would unless his arm was twisted, he'd be imprisoned for the rest of his life. Worst case scenario, killed so my father can try his luck with the next Avatar."

"Which would require another twelve to thirteen years at best to find and train." Kasumi pointed out. "By then either side could have won this war without the Avatar. And besides, the next Avatar would be a waterbender. You'd have to conquer the Water Tribes just to get to them early enough and by then the war would definitely be all but won already."

Zuko nodded. "I know, killing the Avatar would be a complete waste. Why do you think I've been trying to bring him to my father alive? My honor would have been just as satisfied dead."

"I figured mainly because bringing him alive was the only way to prove you found the real Avatar. Otherwise you could have used a normal dead body and altered it to look like an Air Nomad. Either that or you didn't want to deal with the smell for that long." Kasumi asked.

"I admit the idea has crossed my mind in the past, but I resisted because I wanted to believe I could succeed in finding the real Avatar." Zuko admitted.

"But back to my main point, you're fighting for a cause that's not the least bit just." Kasumi declared. "This war is not about the Fire Nation helping the rest of the world."

"Then what is it about if you're so smart?" Zuko challenged, not wanting to believe all this time he and his family had been doing the wrong thing.

"The Fire Nation sees the other cultures as inferior to itself. It's basically telling the others they aren't as good as the Fire Nation, not as important. You're acting like everyone else in the world is beneath you, therefore it's okay to step on them. And you tell them if they want to be treated with respect they have to incorporate your culture into their own. But let's say they do. Let's say all corners of the world end up adopting the Fire Nation way of life and you get the Fire Kingdom and Fire Tribes and just for argument's sake Fire Nomads. What will make the Fire Nation itself so special?"

"What do you mean?" Zuko asked, not understanding her question.

"You claim this war is to make the other cultures more similar to your own. When you're done, that means all cultures will be essentially the same. Maybe some differences here and there, but still essentially the same. This will devalue the Fire Nation because it will be no different than all the others."

"It will be different. It will be the original. The homeland. The-" Zuko started.

"It will still be better than the others by default?" Kasumi pressed. "All the nations are supposed to be equalized, yet despite it all the Fire Nation is _still_ going to be superior to the rest and _still_ allowed to look down on the others even after they share their benefits with them?"

The banished prince opened his mouth to argue, but found no words coming to him. He stopped trying, and instead focused his effort on a way to counter her argument.

Nothing came to him, nothing at all. The only sound made was a squawk from a toucan-flamingo.

Kasumi stood up and stretched her legs. "This war you're in Zuko is pointless. I don't know who started it or why, but I can tell you from an outsider's perspective that the goal is not what you've been led to believe."

'Back when this was just a tv show, the war likely only existed just because the plot wouldn't exist without it. Unless some more explanations and backstories were given in the third season.' Kasumi thought to herself. 'Even then, for a tv show, there has to be a legitimate reason why warring for a hundred years is worth it. Most shows bother to give the bad guy at least some motive for what they're doing. From what Zuko told me, I can see no reason whatsoever to even consider letting the Fire Nation win. Aang needs to defeat the Fire Nation not simply for plotline purposes now. He needs to because the world will be burned to ashes and rebuild in the Fire Lord's image if he doesn't.'

"Are you telling me I've been wasting my time searching for the Avatar and I should see my father as a monster instead?" Zuko asked, standing up too.

"The man burned your face in an Agni Kai he forced you to endure simply because you cast doubt on a terrible decision, then banished you simply because you did the only sensible thing you could in an Agni Kai against him. How can you not already see him as a monster when you acknowledge Azula as one?" Kasumi asked back. "Iroh is more of a father to you than Ozai is."

"But he can't give me my honor back." Zuko claimed.

"What honor? What are you trying to prove? That you're worthy of inheriting the throne? Fine, what do you intend to do as the next Fire Lord?"

"What?" Zuko asked, like such a question had never crossed his mind before in his entire life.

"All this effort on your part is because you've been denied your heritage and you want it back. You want your home back, and clearly you don't want your sister to inherit the crown. So you want to be the next Fire Lord. Great, but what do you intend to _do_ as the Fire Lord?"

"That's not your concern." Zuko said, though he had to admit to himself this was one thing he had never before considered.

"Will you continue the war if it's not already over?" Kasumi continued, ignoring his statement. "Will you call it off and let the world return to normal? What will be your own political policies? What will you do for your people? Who will deserve your help first? How do you want history to remember you?"

"Shut up!" Zuko demanded, steam coming out of the corners of his mouth and nostrils like some kind of dragon.

Not used to facing someone who might resort to anything physical, Kasumi silenced herself and stepped back. 'I'm glad there's some water here, main reason I chose this spot. But can I actually fight off Zuko if he does anything? In a fight the one thing I have that he doesn't is the element of surprise.'

"I'll figure all that stuff out once I'm able to return home with honor." Zuko proclaimed.

Kasumi shook her head in disappointment. "I can understand dealing with only one problem at a time. After all, you can't clean an entire house all at once. But if you want my advice Zuko-"

"I don't." He cut in. "You said you'd leave me alone if you failed to convince me. Well, I'm not convinced. So uphold your own terms please."

Kasumi nodded. "Alright then, I'll be on my way and you might never see me again." 'Fat chance of that.' She added internally. "I just hope that what you're after turns out to be worth it once you get it Zuko." She then took her own purchases and left him to his thoughts.

Zuko looked at her departing for a bit. 'What a strange woman. But at least she was interesting to talk to.' He grabbed his purchases too and left.

'I knew I couldn't change him right away, if at all, but with any luck I've planted some seeds in his mind that will get him on a more proper track.' Kasumi thought to herself.

"Well, done with your flirting already?" Toph's voice called out from an alley way, surprising Kasumi and making her jump.

"How long were you there?" She asked, hoping she hadn't dropped anything.

"Oh I found you around the time that other guy mentioned killing Twinkle Toes." Toph said, stepping up to the older woman. "I would have found you sooner, but you weren't walking so it was hard for me to track you with anything other than my ears."

"I'm kind of surprised you found me at all. I always thought I was a little too good at blending in with the background." Kasumi mentioned.

Toph shrugged. "Maybe to people with working eyes, but not me. Part of being blind means I have to pay extra attention to my surroundings. Stuff doesn't exactly stay hidden in the background for me." The two started walking away again, side by side. "Anyway, who was that boy?"

"Just someone who has a big role in all the ongoing events. Thing is, at this point their role could easily become anything."

"Ah, so you were hoping to give this boy a nudge in a direction that's better on our ends." The blind girl noted.

"Yes, though it would also be for his own good." Kasumi suddenly said, almost defensively, like she had to justify why she was trying to convince Zuko of something.

"Did I say you were wrong?" Toph asked, sensing the underlying tone of the housekeeper's claim.

"No, it's just..."

"Just what?"

"I'm in a tough spot here." Kasumi confessed with a sigh. "I'm not used to being the one actively involved in what's going on. I'm used to being in the background, letting everyone else get involved, get their hands dirty. My role has always been to stay out of sight and clean up the messes made."

"Basically you're a maid." Toph stated.

"I never said I liked the role, it's just what I've fallen into. I used to be more like you when I was younger. In fact, had things not gotten screwed up for me I could have been what you are now. But instead, something happened and now I've basically been reduced to the caretaker of my home and nothing more."

There was an uncomfortable pause between the two girls for a bit.

"I'm trying to break out of it, but I don't know how." Kasumi continued. "I feel like I'm trapped, I have an opportunity here to get more active and involved but I don't know how, and at the same time I keep telling myself things will work out on their own without me getting involved."

"So in short, you want to get involved but you don't know how and all you can come up with are excuses for not doing anything in the first place." The blind girl summarized.

Kasumi nodded, looked disappointed in herself this time. "I guess I don't know it all after all."

"Kasumi, you said in your world we're just a story, right?" Toph asked, and Kasumi with some surprise nodded. "The problem is on some part of your mind you still believe this is that story. That's why you're trying to stay out of it. The story exists solely for your entertainment, so naturally you want fun without responsibility while here."

"That's not true." Kasumi claimed. "I do want fun, but not at the expense of the ultimate outcome."

"You mean the plot?" Toph asked. "You want to have fun without changing the plot? The story's ending? You want to tweak some things along the way but in the end you don't want anything to be truly different? Unless you can somehow make a happier ending?"

Kasumi was silent but her expression showed Toph was completely right and Kasumi hadn't even known it until it was pointed out to her. In a way she was experiencing what she had wanted Zuko to experience earlier.

Toph couldn't see the look on the older woman's face, but she suspected she had hit the mark. "Can I point out a few things you might have overlooked so far Kasumi?"

"Y... yes."

"I'm alive. I am aware I'm alive. I'm aware I've been alive for some time, and I'm aware I'm going to die someday. I acknowledge my own existence, therefore I have a real form of existence. Me and everyone else you see. Maybe in your world we're nothing but storybook characters, but we're alive and real here. And who's to say your world and everyone you knew isn't just storybook characters to someone else in some other world? Does that mean you and your family are just characters fulfilling a plot too that shouldn't be tampered with?"

'I... I never thought of it like that.' Kasumi thought.

"We're not mere characters Kasumi, we're real people. We're not doing all this just because someone decided to make a story. This is real to us." Toph continued. "You say you want to do something but the idea of a plot getting in the way is stopping you right? Well, if so, I have only four things to ask you."

"Like what?"

"Are you real?" Toph asked.

"Of course I am."

"Are you here in this world?" Toph added.

Kasumi nodded. "Yes."

"Do you want to be involved and help the war end?" Toph asked.

"Yes, of course I do." Kasumi answered.

Toph smiled. "Then what more reason do you need than that to get involved?"

Kasumi blinked, and suddenly everything fell into place for her. Toph was absolutely right.

"Screw the plot. Screw the intended ending. Screw the entire damn story. You're here, I'm here, we're the ones living in this situation. Why should some story teller sitting safely at a desk get to decide the fate of this world? This is our world, our fight, shouldn't it go the way we want it to?"

Kasumi smiled as if some kind of weight was lifted off her, and for some reason her eyes got a little watery too. "Toph Bei Fong, you are officially the smartest person I know right now. You should be the one called Miss Know-It-All."

"Naw, that sounds better for you. I'm just the Blind Bandit after all." Toph countered. "But I appreciate the praise."

"Still, you really got to me there. Maybe this is a story back in my home, but this is real here. And I'm here too, still as real as ever. Why should I act like I'm bound to a plot? Why should any of us? Heck, just moments ago I was trying to change a detail in the story, why not forget the story entirely and just do what I think needs to be done?"

"That's the spirit." Toph praised. "That's why I chose to join Twinkle Toes' gang in the first place. Not just to get away from my parents, but so I can be in charge of my own life rather than let it be directed for me by some kind of high power."

'Though ironically it was for the sake of the plot that you... no, no more thinking like that. This is not a tv show, I cannot think of it in those terms ever again. It's because I couldn't separate the tv show from this world that I've had this problem to begin with. No more, if this is real, then nothing happened and nothing will happen just because some script says so.' Kasumi told herself.

"So Miss Know-It-All, now that you're here what do you intend to do in this world?" Toph asked.

Kasumi smiled. "I want to see more of this world. I want to put an end to this pointless war. I want to learn to be a bender and have something to be proud of. I want to learn who I really am and become anything but a one-dimensional person who stays in the house cleaning after everyone."

"Attagirl. Though if you ask me, you're not that one-dimensional at all. You've probably just been too held back to notice it."

After some more walking the two girls made it back to the campground.

"Good, you're okay." Ranma said, relieved.

"I'm better than okay." Kasumi replied with a bright smile, brighter than her usual ones.

'What happened to her in that town?' Both Ranma and Shampoo asked themselves, sensing something different about the oldest Tendo girl but not able to put their fingers on it.


	11. Into the Desert

**Legends of the Four Masters****  
**_#11—Into the Desert_

With the folder and map Ranma had acquired, the group was headed to the Misty Palms Oasis, located on the edge of the Si Wong desert in the southeastern part of the Earth Kingdom. Aang was rather enthusiastic about this place, mostly for personal reasons.

"I went there once a hundred years ago. It was a very beautiful place and one of Nature's wonders." He would say.

When they got there though, it was anything but beautiful or an oasis. Whatever oasis had been there in the past was now gone, reduced to just a couple of sun-baked mud huts surrounded by a sun-baked brick wall on the edge of the desert. The dominant feature of the area, the ice fountain that existed despite the desert heat, was indeed icy but didn't look that impressive in person. In fact it looked like it was having a hard time holding itself together, which was only natural given it existed on the edge of a desert to begin with.

"Looks like there's been a change in management somewhere in the past hundred years." Aang noted, voicing the disappointment of them all.

A sign fell off the decorative gate to the town after they walked past, not making the place look any better.

"This is officially the crappiest place I've ever been to. And I was once in a place where you were cleaner if you stayed _out_ of the baths." Ranma muttered.

"How could Zhao find anything here? Let alone big secrets like the moon spirit?" Sokka asked.

"I don't think it was here itself, but maybe somewhere near here." Katara said. "According to the map, most of the places he's been to have been in this area, all next to this desert. Maybe the secret's in the desert itself."

"We're supposed to go searching the desert now? Looking for what exactly?" Ranma asked.

"Let's ask the locals what's in it." Katara suggested.

She was the first to enter one of the buildings in the area, though the people standing outside spat at the group when they followed. The interior was akin to a tavern. Everyone inside was wrapped up in desert clothes, some masking their faces with cloth bandages. At the counter was a man using swords to slice apart fruit and put them into bowls made of carved ice. He seemed to have just one customer, a man who was paying more attention to some scrolls than his order.

"I don't see anything wrong with having one of those fruity beverages while we plan out where to go from here." Sokka claimed, then went to the bar. "Excuse me." He said trying to get the bartender's attention.

The current customer got up to walk away, but Sokka's companions joined up with the Water Tribe boy and the man accidentally bumped into Aang, spilling his own beverage on the young Air Nomad's tunic.

"No worries, I clean up easy." He stated, using a little airbending to dry-clean his clothes on the spot.

The customer gasped. "You're a living relic."

"Thanks, I try." Aang replied, not really getting what this guy meant but sure it was a compliment.

"An Air Nomad, right in front of me. I'm Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University." He greeted with a light bow, which Aang returned.

"So this world has colleges too?" Ranma asked while Sokka was giving them all drinks the bartender had quickly prepared.

Kasumi shrugged. "Apparently they do." She had a sip of her drink. "Mmm... like a mango smoothie."

Zei grabbed the bald monk's arm, but not in a threatening way. He just wanted a better look at the arrow tattoos the boy possessed and the clothes he wore. "Tell me, which of the Air Temples do you hail from?"

"The Southern Temple."

"Oh splendid." Zei then tried to measure the boy's head.

"Okay this guy's getting creepy." Ranma whispered.

"What was the primary agricultural product of your people?" Zei asked.

Aang looked like he wasn't sure if he wanted this interrogation to continue, but wasn't rude enough to tell the professor to leave him alone. "Uhh... do fruit pies count as an agricultural product?"

"Oh, truly fascinating. That's one for the journal."

'Suddenly Hinako-sensei doesn't seem like the weirdest teacher in the world to me anymore.' Ranma thought. 'Please, don't let anyone mention I'm a-'

"If you want here's another airbender for you Professor." Sokka said, pointing his thumb at Ranma.

"I'm going to kill you for this Sokka." Ranma rued through clenched teeth.

"You're an Air Nomad?" Zei asked, invading Ranma's personal space by inspecting his hair and clothes. "You look so different from the other. Are you from the Northern Temple then?"

"Sure, why not?" The pigtailed boy answered apathetically, sidestepping away.

"So Professor, you seem to be well traveled. Do you happen to have a map of the Fire Nation?" Kasumi asked.

Zei lost his smile for a moment. "Sadly no, I've been all over this planet, but that is the one place I could never get to. And information on the Fire Nation is greatly limited here in the Earth Kingdom. It's one of the things I'm trying to find for my classes."

"So why are you here then?" Shampoo asked.

"Ah, that is an excellent question miss. You see, I've made many trips into the Si Wong desert, and while I've seen some marvelous things, all my effort has ultimately been in vain." Zei replied, starting with a smile but ended on a look of regret.

"What are you looking for in there?" Katara asked.

Zei pulled out his map of the Si Wong desert, showing dotted lines indicating the main routes he had taken in his travels within it. "I've managed to find lost ancient civilizations all over the Earth Kingdom and even one or two of the abandoned Water Tribe settlements at the poles, but I haven't yet discovered the crown jewel of the ancient world. Wan Shi Tang's library."

"You spent years walking through the desert, just to find some guy's library?" Toph asked, not seeing why anyone would do such a thing.

"Oh this is no ordinary library young lady. This library is more valuable than it's weight in gold." Zei insisted calmly. "It is said to contain a vast collection of knowledge, and knowledge is priceless."

Toph didn't look convinced. "Yeah, sounds like good times." 'For those that can read.' She finished to herself, sipping on her fruit drink.

"Oh it is." Zei continued, missing her disinterest. "Legend has it that it was built by the knowledge spirit Wan Shi Tang with the help of his foxy knowledge seekers."

"Oh, so this spirit has attractive assistants huh?" Sokka asked with a grin.

"I think he means they look like actual foxes Sokka." Katara corrected, not pleased with her brother's assumption.

"You gotta admit what Sokka said does come to mind when you hear the word foxy." Ranma pointed out.

"And why is that?" The Water Tribe girl asked, hands on her hips.

Ranma shrugged. "When else is the word foxy used?"

"The girl's right, the knowledge seekers are supposed to look like foxes." Zei interjected, taking out another rolled up piece of parchment. "Wan Shi Tang and his knowledge seekers collected books from all over the world and set them on display for mankind to read, so we might better ourselves." He unrolled the parchment, showing a rather fancy building that clearly was supposed to be the library. Either that or this world's version of the Taj Mahal.

"If this place actually exists, then that would have been the perfect place for Zhao to learn about the moon spirit." Sokka noted.

"And that means we could learn about the Fire Nation too." Kasumi pointed out.

"And if we're really lucky, maybe something about how to go home." Shampoo added, earning her looks from Ranma and Kasumi. "Hey if the ticket could bring us here, who's to say something else couldn't take us back?"

"It's a long shot, but while we're there we might as well look into it." Kasumi agreed.

"Then we're definitely going there. Right now." Sokka said, pumping his fist into his palm.

"Uh hey, can I point out a little problem?" Toph started, raising one of her hands. "We don't know where this big important library is. And unlike the bookworm we don't have years to waste trying to find it."

"It's true. Plus I've almost died many times out in that desert. I'm afraid you children have little chance at finding it within a few days if that's what you're hoping." Zei agreed.

Sokka grinned. "Professor, would you like to see our sky bison?"

"A sky bison?" Zei repeated. "You actually have one?" Without waiting for an answer he rushed outside to see the thought-to-be-extinct animal.

Back outside, Appa was growling some warnings at the desert folk who were getting too close for his comfort. And being covered in shaggy fur that was decided to insulate him from the cold air of high altitude, he was already uncomfortable being here.

"Sandbenders, shoo! Away from that magnificent animal!" Zei shouted.

The bandaged men decided this wasn't worth a fight and left, going into the desert on a sandbending-powered sand boat.

"A real live sky bison." Zei said in awe, looking at the large herbivore. He turned to see an approaching Aang and the group. "Can he actually fly? How does he do it despite the lack of wings and excess weight?"

"Airbending." Aang answered.

"Such a marvel." Zei said, looking back to Appa and trying to inspect his feet.

Ranma leaned to the bald monk. "Hey Aang, why can Appa fly with airbending but you can only glide?"

"It's much easier to glide." Aang said, using a little airbending to jump atop his animal partner's head and grab the reins. "Everyone get on. We're going to the desert."

Appa grunted, but didn't refuse. Everyone got on board, including Zei, and the bison took off.

Flying through the air, everyone tried to find ways to deal with the desert heat. Sokka took off his shirt and wrapped it around his head then looked out into the sea of sand with a telescope. Ranma decided to do the same, and Shampoo certainly was appreciating the view.

"Kind of makes me miss home." Katara noting, pulling the collar of her top away from her throat to release of her body heat. Water Tribe clothes were designed to be insulating, and even though she wasn't wearing her outer coat, her normal outfit was still a little too warm for the desert.

Zei positioned himself atop Appa's head, rubbing the fur like it was an exotic carpet to him. "Tell me sky bison, are you the last of your breed?"

"I don't think he can talk back Professor." Aang tried to tell him, but Zei didn't seem to hear over Appa grunting.

"Oh delightful, I only wish I spoke his tongue. The stories this beast could tell."

Momo chose then to come up to the professor, making some small barks.

Zei was less than pleased. "Shush chatty monkey."

Aang raised an eyebrow. 'He finds Appa amazing but Momo not worth paying attention to? Aren't flying lemurs just as rare as sky bisons?'

* * *

Hours went by but all they had seen was sand, sand, and more sand. Maybe some rocks with a side of sand too.

"Agh! Does this place even exist?" Toph asked rhetorically, getting fed up being on a search for some long lost place and there was literally nothing she could do at the moment. She sure couldn't locate the library with her ears.

"Some say it doesn't." Zei stated casually, as if it were a mere fact not worth pointing out unless asked to.

Toph's eyes widened for a moment, then looked like she wanted to strangle the man. "And you didn't mention this _before_ we took off?"

"Because I believe it does exist." Zei said with complete certainty, fist on his chest.

Ranma looked at the professor, looking as annoyed as Toph. "And why is that? Do you have something to prove it? Talk to someone who has been there?"

"Nope, I just really want it to exist." Zei admitted shamelessly.

Ranma's eye twitched for a moment. "You've spent years looking for one building that people claim may not exist anymore or did to begin with, with no proof that says otherwise, all because you just _want_ it to be real?"

"Calm down Ranma." Kasumi said. "It's not that different than a few times you went looking for... a solution to your past problems." She avoided specifically mentioning his old curse.

"That's what bothers me. Remember how many times those solutions _were_ real?" Ranma replied, leaning against the rim of the saddle.

'Oh yeah, good point.' Kasumi thought, seeing why the pigtailed young man wouldn't be satisfied looking for something with nothing but hope and optimism being the reason for it. That had failed him enough times already.

"There it is!" Toph said eagerly, pointing in front of her.

Everyone quickly looked over the saddle trying to see the building, but all they saw was sand and sky. This made them all give Toph dirty looks.

"That's what it will sound like when one of you spots it." She stated, then waved her hand over her blind eyes to silently tell them it was their own fault for falling for her joke.

"It can't take that long. It shouldn't be that hard to spot a giant ornate building from this high in the air." Katara said, trying to keep everyone's spirits up.

"Hold on, I think I see something." Sokka said, looking through his telescope.

"If this is a joke..." Ranma almost threatened.

"No seriously, it looks like a pillar of some kind."

"Good enough for me." Aang said, turning Appa towards where Sokka had been looking.

They landed by a large stone tower and everyone eagerly jumped out. Looking at it, they could see the tower was indeed old, but there was nothing else to it.

"Forget it. It's obviously not what we're looking for. The building in this drawing is enormous." Katara said, referencing the picture of the library.

A jingling sound drew their attention to one of the dunes, and they could see a fox come up and over it, carrying something in its mouth.

"What kind of animal is that?" Sokka asked, hand shading his eyes.

"What, have you never seen a fox before?" Ranma asked.

The fox in question went up to the tower and started to run right up the wall like some kind of squirrel, disappearing into one of the open windows at the top.

"I think that's one of the knowledge seekers of Wan Shi Tang." Zei said, sounding happy. "We must be close to the library."

Sokka looked at the drawing again, noticing something they hadn't before. "No, I think this _is_ the library."

"He's right, the drawing shows spires that look just like this tower here." Kasumi noted.

"So the reason no one could ever find the library before was because it's been buried under the sand." Ranma noted.

"Bu... buried?" Zang asked in shock, having never considered the idea. "My life's ambition is filled with sand?"

"Well when you think about it it's actually pretty obvious that this would happen over a couple of centuries." Katara claimed. "Kind of like that old Fire Nation ship back home at the South Pole. Every year it gets covered more and more by snow and ice until eventually it will be completely buried by it."

"Then we haven't a moment to lose." Zei said, taking out a small trowel. "We have to dig it up." He started to try and unearth the library.

"I've got a better idea." Sokka stated, putting his hand on the man's shoulders. "The fox went in, so we can too. Maybe the interior is still sand-free."

Toph put her hand on the tower. "He's right, from what I'm sensing the inside is still intact, and huge."

"But how do we get up there?" Shampoo asked. It was one thing to jump from rooftop to rooftop or ride a bike atop a fence. This required a direct defiance of gravity, which she and Ranma were not trained to do.

"You could earthbend us some stairs to get up." Katara suggested.

"It's not as easy as you think." Toph countered. "This isn't normal earth, it's sand. To me it feels like we're standing in pudding rather than something solid I can work with. I'm having a hard enough time figuring out where everything is right now and how far away you are from me."

"How about this?" Aang offered up a rope.

"That might work." Sokka said.

"You guys go on without me." Toph said, removing her hand.

"You got something against libraries?" Katara asked.

Toph crossed her arms. "I've held books before. They don't exactly... do it for me."

"Oh, right. Sorry." The Water Tribe girl replied, seeing the problem.

"Guys it's not that hard to remember she's blind." Kasumi chided.

"Let me know if they have something you can listen to." The blind girl added.

"Wait, so you have ways to record sound here too?" Kasumi asked. "Someday I've got to see just what kind of technology this place has."

Aang used his glider to get up to the window, taking the rope with him. He secured it from the top, tying one end to the top of the spire. "Okay, come on up."

Sokka went up first, followed by Katara and then Zei.

"You go ahead Kasumi." Ranma said, being polite while Shampoo went on ahead of him.

Kasumi looked at the rope then back to the pigtailed boy. "No thanks, I think I'll stay out here with Toph."

"You sure? It's not that hard to climb a rope." Ranma told her.

"Trust me Ranma, I couldn't climb a rope even if my life depended on it." Kasumi insisted. "I'll be find out here."

"Alright then. We won't be too long." He said, not sure leaving her was a good idea but he couldn't very well grab her and carry her up if she didn't want to go. He went to the rope and climbed up, leaving Kasumi, Toph, and Appa outside to wait.

At least the sky bison gave the girls some shade.

With everyone inside the tower, they pulled up the rope and dropped the free end on the inside, down to a part of the building they couldn't see from their current position.

"Oh it's breathtaking." Zei said when they got down into what looked like one of the main rooms of the library. Thanks to not being exposed to the elements for eons, the inside of the library was clearly in better condition than the outside. Dusty, but in better condition nonetheless.

They jumped from the rope and landed on some kind of bridged pathway, connecting one part of the library's upper floor to another side.

"My word!" Zei said in surprise, looking at a decorative piece of art depicting an owl. "The exquisite mosaic handiwork of this tile-rendered avian symbol is-"

"We get it, nice owl." Ranma cut in, making Shampoo chuckle.

A shuffling sound was heard, making them dart off to hide behind a pillar. None dared to look, so they didn't see a giant white-faced owl walk down the bridge towards the rope, looking at it. Everyone tried to be as silent as possible.

"I know you're back there." The owl said, turning it's head in a very owlish manner towards the group of humans.

Zei decided to be brave or foolish and came forward. "Hello, I'm Professor Zei, head of anthropology at Ba Sing Se University."

"You should leave and go back where you came." The owl warned, then looked to its left. "Unless you want to become a stuffed head of anthropology."

On one of the pillars were several taxodermized heads of various animals. Zei gulped and rubbed his neck, imagining his head in such a state.

The others came out, seeing the owl wasn't a 'attack first ask questions later' kind of spirit. "Are you the spirit that brought this library to this world?" Sokka asked.

"Indeed. I am Wan Shi Tang, he who knows ten thousand things. And you are obviously humans, which by the way are no longer permitted in my study." The owl replied.

"What do you have against humans?" Aang asked.

Wan Shi Tang snorted, which was hard to imagine him doing with a beak. "Humans only bother learning things to get the edge on other humans. Like that firebender who came to this place a few years ago, looking to destroy his enemy."

'So Zhao really did come here.' Sokka thought.

"So..." Wan Shi Tang then leaned right into the Water Tribe boy's face. "Who are _you_ trying to destroy?"

"What? Oh no, no, no destroying. We're not into that." He denied, waving his hands.

"Then why come here?" Wan Shi Tang asked, skeptical.

"Ummm... knowledge for knowledge's sake?" Sokka offered.

The owl was silent for a moment. "If you're going to lie to an all-knowing spirit, you should at least put some effort into it."

"Hey, bird guy." Ranma said, coming forward. "You said you came here from another world. Some spirit world right?"

"Yes, why does that matter to you?" Wan Shi Tang asked.

"Have you ever heard of there being another human world different from this one?" Ranma asked.

The big owl blinked. "A second human world? That is the work of fiction. This library is strictly for reference, with fiction only held for historical significance."

'Here I am in a sunken library in a world based on a cartoon series, being told by a giant talking owl that the idea of me being from another dimension is fictional.' Ranma thought. 'I don't know whether to laugh or roll my eyes.'

"Well we've got the Avatar with us." Sokka stated, pulling Aang forward and putting the young boy between him and the bird bird. "He'll vouch for us."

"Umm... yeah. I swear we will not misuse any information we may find in your library." Aang said, trying to hide his nervousness.

Wan Shi Tang looked at the Air Nomad for a time. "Hmmm... very well. I'll let you peruse my vast collection. On one condition. To prove your worth as scholars, you have to contribute some worthwhile knowledge."

Zei stepped forward, holding out a large book with both hands, and knelt while offering it. "Please accept this tome, as a donation to your library."

"First edition, very nice." Wan Shi Tang said with satisfaction, waving his right wing over the book and making it disappear. Even though it didn't appear like he was holding it.

Zei left and Katara came forward, holding out the waterbending scroll she had taken from the pirates earlier in her travels. "I have an authentic waterbending scroll."

"Ooh, these illustrations are quite stylish." Wan Shi Tang remarked, taking the scroll too with a wave of his wing. Katara bowed respectfully and left.

Aang came up, a bit uncertain what to offer, then got an idea. "Oh, I know!" He pulled out one of the Fire Nation posters that listed him as a wanted man. "For your section on the Avatar."

"I suppose that counts." The owl said, less impressed compared to the last two.

"Oh great spirit," Sokka started when he came forward, holding some string. "Check this out." He swiftly proceeded to tie it into a knot that resembled a dragonfly. "Tada!"

Wan Shi Tang looked at him with no clear expression, but everyone suspected the owl was tempted to do its own version of a facepalm.

"It's a special knot. Knowing how to tie one counts as knowledge."

'More like trivia.' Katara thought.

"You're not very bright are you?" Wan Shi Tang commented, but nonetheless he accepted the offering. "I take this because it seems you _need_ to get smarter."

Ranma came up next while an annoyed Sokka walked away. "I'm not sure if this is as good as a special knot, but you might find it worth a glance." He pulled out the file he had swiped. "This contains documents from the Fire Nation, and it mentions the guy that I think was the one you're angry at. Apparently the Fire Nation wasn't too happy with him either."

"Hmm... this might be as you said, worth a glance." Wan Shi Tang remarked, taking the file.

Shampoo was the last to come up the big bird. "Great spirit, I have no item to give you. However, like you I have knowledge to share. I can tell you folktales from my hometown I am certain you have never heard before, and you can record them for your collection."

Wan Shi Tang tilted his head for a moment. "Tempting, but to make sure you do not waste my time, give me a sample now so I know you do indeed have folktales I have not collected."

"Do you have your entire collection memorized?" Sokka asked.

"I have enough to know when I'm offered a donation that I already have." He replied, eyes on the Chinese girl telling her he was waiting.

Shampoo cleared her throat. "Long ago before the kingdoms were as they are now, there was a king named Zighao who was famous for a love of dragons. He adorned his palace and the surrounding grounds with all forms of dragon. Painting, sculptures, drawings, carvings, even his own clothes. He was called the dragon emperor because of his love for the creatures."

"One day, news of his fondness reached actual dragons who were delighted to hear of a king so infatuated with them. The leader of the dragons went to the king so that they might become good friends. But once Zighao saw the dragon, he panicked and screamed like a child seeing a poisonous snake and hid within his room, The dragon did not understand, and tried to reassure Zighao that he was not there to cause any trouble. But the man would not listen. He demanded the dragon leave and never return, and he ordered his guards to attack the dragon until it left or was killed."

"When the dragon was about to be attacked, he left, saying that a friendship with Zighao would never be possible, as the man only loved what_ looked_ like a dragon and despised the real thing."

Wan Shi Tang blinked. "Excellent story, with a moral I can relate to. I will accept this offering, and if you have others to share I will be happy to hear."

"Thank you wise one." Shampoo said with a bow.

"Enjoy the library everyone, and remember, don't go looking for ways to hurt others."

The big owl then walked down the bridge and Shampoo following behind. Shampoo looked back to Ranma and gave him a wink, telling him not to worry..

"Good, she's buying us time by keeping him distracted." Sokka whispered to everyone. "We have to work fast before he decides to check up on us."


	12. The Library

**Legends of the Four Masters****  
**_#12—The Library_

Back out in the desert, Kasumi and Toph were enjoying the shade they got from Appa, even though Kasumi was annoyed to be sitting in sand when she wasn't wearing a swimsuit. Toph didn't mind as she often got dirty anyway.

"I'm glad to be back on the ground where I can see." Toph stated, flexing her feet digging them into the sand. "Well, I don't see the way you do."

"Yeah, you sense vibrations in the ground. The time you fought to prove your strength to your parents was one of the best fight scenes I saw before coming here." Kasumi replied.

"Thanks. But this sand here," Toph replied, picking up some sand and letting it drain out of her hand. "It's so shifty and loose, it makes everything look fuzzy to me. Any vibrations I can sense are unfocused. It's really bothering me."

"Sort of like when we're in a fog. It blurs our eyes too much to see anything." Kasumi referenced. "Can you bend the sand?"

"It's still technically earth and not metal, so there's no reason I shouldn't. It's just hard to keep together. Maybe I could practice hardening it first, that's a start."

"That reminds me, I've been wondering. Why can't you bend metal?" Kasumi asked. "I mean, yeah it's not rock or soil, but it does come out of the earth and it is a mineral."

"Earthbenders have been trying for centuries, I think if it was possible someone would have found a way to do it." Toph claimed, getting up and trying to focus on the sand she was standing on. "But you do have a point. It is earth-based, so maybe everyone's been doing it wrong."

"Exactly, it's still an earthen mineral. Like coal. Just be a little more stubborn with it than you are with stone."

Toph grinned her trademark battle smile. "Better stop there Miss Know-It-All, you're getting me all eager and there's no metal around. Right now, I'm just going to work on the sand."

* * *

Inside the library, the group was checking out the books on the shelves in an unmarked section. Judging from the titles of the books, this was world history.

"Hey look at these weird lion-turtle things." Aang said, holding out a picture in a book. Momo was currently perched on his left shoulder. "Says here they're supposed to be part of the origin of bending somehow."

"Probably just a myth." Sokka said, not really looking at the picture as he took a book that he had a hunch about.

"Hey Aang, did you know that in a past life you were left-handed?" Katara mentioned, holding a book about previous avatars.

"I always knew I was special." Aang replied.

Ranma looked to him. "Really? You can bend all four elements in a world where reincarnation is a confirmed reality, and _that's_ the thing that you say makes you special?"

"It's one of many things." Aang added. "What are you looking for? You're just glancing in books then putting them back."

"I'm not much of a reader. I'm mostly just trying to find something about airbending here so I can get some more training on it."

"Did you think to try the Air Nomad section?" Sokka muttered.

"If you know where it is I'd be happy to check it out." Ranma replied.

"I think I saw an emblem for them down that way." Zei suggested, trying to point to another part of the library despite his hands being full. He had been pulling out book after book, as if he wanted to read everything in the library all at once. Knowing him that was quite possibly the case.

Ranma shrugged. "Worth a shot. I'll let ya guys know if I see anything worthwhile."

Aang smiled. "You'll find we're a great culture. I bet when you come back, you'll be wanting to shave your hair and dress in robes too."

Ranma snorted a laugh. "Yeah, fat chance of that." He left before he'd laugh more.

Sokka ignored this, checking for anything that seemed connected to the Fire Nation and putting it in his bag. He soon saw a pedestal with a glass plating on it, and went to see the contents, which appeared to be a burned piece of parchment.

"The darkest day in Fire Nation history." He read out loud, hand on his chin. 'What could that mean? Is it as promising as it sounds?' "It's got a date at the top but anything else on this is burned away."

Mind made up, he used his machete to pry open the glass and pocket the parchment.

"Sokka what are you doing?" Aang asked. Katara and Zei looked up from their current interests to see what the Water Tribe boy was doing.

"I want to know what happened to the Fire Nation on 'their darkest day'. You don't say something like that unless you mean it." He replied.

Following him, they went back into the central chamber and looked around. On the floor below they saw the symbol for fire over a hall entrance.

"That must be the section on the Fire Nation." Sokka said, going along the outer rims until he found some stairs down, then went into the aforementioned area. Along the way they past by the Air Nomad section and Ranma glanced at them, but quickly ignored it and went back to looking around.

When the group got to the Fire Nation wing and went in, they stopped in their tracks. The entire section was reduced to ash.

"Firebenders." Aang said with some anger.

"Zhao must have destroyed everything regarding the Fire Nation so people like us could never learn about them." Katara claimed. "No wonder Wan Shi Tang didn't want us here."

"That's so unfair!" Sokka ranted. "Just when I-"

"Sokka, there's an owl spirit that doesn't want humans like us looking for that kind of thing, and I don't think he's hard of hearing." Katara warned.

"I get it. But what happened on their darkest day?" Sokka asked, holding out the burned parchment. "Now that I see this place, I think Zhao saw this thing I'm holding and that's what made him burn this place. Whatever was written here scared him, he didn't want anyone learning about the Fire Nation's darkest day. So to be safe, he destroyed this entire section."

"Then why did this one piece remain?" Katara asked.

"Zhao was a bit careless with his firebending. I was able to trick him into destroying his own ships before he even knew what he had done." Aang referenced.

Sokka nodded. "He probably just started the fire and let it spread out, so maybe other parts still remain in other parts of the library. We might still have a chance to find out what happened on that day."

Behind everyone, they could hear a whimper. Turning they saw one of the knowledge seeking foxes standing on its hind legs.

"Hello, little weird fox guy." Sokka said.

The fox turned and got back on all fours, looking like it was pointing somewhere.

"It seems like it's trying to assist you." Zei theorized.

'I guess the foxes aren't as picky as the owl is regarding what we learn.' Sokka thought. "Sure, I'll follow you."

The vulpine spirit then led it to another part of the library and up to the higher floor again, stopping at a closed circular door that seemed to be designed to mimic the sun. It went through a small hole, and somehow opened the door from the other side.

Everyone went in, not seeing anything but a round pedestal in the center. The fox pushed a lever, making a dome appear above them that looked like the night sky and moving segments that looked like the sun and moon trying to get somehow while gears were heard grinding.

Zei looked impressed. "This room, it's a true wonder. A mechanical masterpiece! It's a planetarium that shows the heaven's moving!"

"Umm... yeah it's beautiful, but how does this help us?" Sokka asked as the night sky left and was replaced with a day sky dome.

"Look at this." Katara said, pointing to the pedestal. It was ringed in layers marked with numbers, and two golden bars joining together in the center but separating like a V at the outer edge. "Maybe this is a calendar dial to select a specific date and see what the sky looked like on that day in history. Or in the future."

"It's worth a shot." Sokka stated, trying to adjust the dial to match the date on the parchment. Once he got it, he moved the lever and the schematic got to work. When it stopped, it showed the day sky, but it was still dark.

"Hey wait, what happened to the light?" Katara asked.

"Great, you broke it Sokka." Aang chewed out.

"No, it's not broken." The Water Tribe boy said, looking at the domed ceiling. "Look." He pointed.

Everyone looked and saw the moon, but it was in front of the sun.

"The sun is behind the moon. It's a solar eclipse." Sokka stated. "So it's literally the darkest day in Fire Nation history. Now I get it. Something awful happened on that day I don't know what but I do know why. Firebenders lose their bending during a solar eclipse."

"Just like how the entire Water Tribe at the North Pole lost their bending when the moon disappeared." Katara said, seeing his reasoning. "This is huge."

The fox came up to Sokka and whimpered while sitting in a begging position.

"Fine. You earned it." He said, taking out a piece of meat from his food rations and giving it to the animal, who was happy to have the snack.

"We've got to get this information to the Earth King at Ba Sing Se." Sokka claimed. "We'll wait for the next eclipse, and when it's lights out and they're totally helpless, we strike. The Fire Lord is going down."

* * *

"These stories are quite captivating." Wan Shi Tang said in one of the rooms of the library. Through means Shampoo could not understand, he was able to write down each tale she was telling with a wave of his wings over some parchment. She had already told him five more Chinese fables, including the famous one regarding the ultimate spear and ultimate shield.

"Thank you." Shampoo said politely.

"Where do you come from? Why have I never heard these before?" Wan Shi Tang asked.

"Oh, somewhere you've probably never heard of. And you yourself said the fiction section here isn't quite as prioritized as the non-fiction."

"It appears I ought to rethink that policy." Wan Shi Tang commented. "What is this home you said I've never heard of?"

"It's called Joketsuzoku, we're a group of tribes that live simply in the Jusendo region and have a strong love of martial arts." She answered, even though the owl spirit wouldn't have a chance at verifying the validity of her claim, regardless of how true it was.

"You're a warrior?" Wan Shi Tang asked, some feathers ruffling like he was on alert.

"Sort of. We use the art more as a way to commune with Nature and defend our home from dangers. Jusendo has a lot of wild animals in it and no one there but me is a bender. We need _some_ way to defend ourselves. You got a better idea?"

"I suppose not, but you haven't gone to war have you?" He asked, leaning closer to her.

"Maybe in the past, but not anymore." She answered. "Before you start getting judgmental, name one group of people that have never been in a war once."

"The Air Nomads."

"You mean the group that was completely wiped out because they had no ways to defend themselves from people who _wanted_ to fight?" Shampoo asked. "I'm not going to say that wanting to go to war is a good thing, but is refusing to respond when someone else wants to go to war any better?"

"Is that why your group came here? You want to know how to respond to a war?" Wan Shi Tang tested.

"All I'm looking for is a way to get home. The Avatar wants to know what happened to his culture when he was away from it. And the professor just wants to read a few books." She stated firmly, showing no fear despite the big bird's attempt to intimidate her.

"That's good. But I should go check on this myself." Wan Shi Tang replied, pulling away.

"But let's say just for the sake of argument we _were_ looking to respond to a war." Shampoo continued, trying to delay the knowledge spirit a bit longer. "How is that a bad thing? It's not destroying anyone, it's stopping someone else from destroying others."

"You think your side was the first to think it was justified in seeking victory? To the opposition, it's justified in seeking your defeat. What makes your side more deserving than theirs? Because you're suffering at their hands? If you won, then isn't the opposition at that time suffering at your hands instead? Where's your right and wrong then?"

Shampoo frowned. "I'm not in a war. I'm just trying to get home. But if I _was_ in a war, I'd be more concerned about protecting who and what I love than whether or not I was right to do it."

Wan Shi Tang blinked. "I believe we have nothing more to say. I think it's time for me to check on what your group is doing now."

* * *

'Was the entire Air Nomad culture made of nothing but monks?' Ranma asked when he looked through some books, trying to find something that would be useful to him. So far he had seen some books and artist renderings of what historians and archaeologists had learned about the extinct society. And most records seemed to focus on their pacifistic ways.

'I know there can be a group of monks who practice pacifism and use martial arts for meditation and self defense. We have that in Shaolin monks and I think Tibet too, just to name a few. But an entire culture? I'm sure even Tibet had warriors in their past.'

The airbending scrolls he saw had shown him some stances that reminded him of the Baguazhang style of martial arts in how they emphasized quick evasive maneuvers and a heavy use of circular motions. This meant it was difficult to land a hit on the artist, but it seemed to lack any finishing moves. It was like airbenders just wanted to wear out the enemy rather than defeat them.

'Look, I'm all for not killing people, but when you've got groups of people ready and willing to take you down painfully you don't defeat them with kindness.' He thought, remembering many times he had been assaulted by his enemies in Nerima.

He went to another shelf that was filled with scrolls and artifacts, but had one book on it. The title was easy for him to see. 'The Forgotten Warriors of the Sky'.

Curious, he picked it up and opened it to the first page. When he picked it up some folded up parchment was moved and dropped to the floor.

'Before the Air Nomads became what they are best known for, there was a sect within them that had accepted the art of combat. It is entirely possible they had invented the first forms of martial arts known to man, but that cannot be confirmed.'

"Okay, this looks interesting." He said, looking around as if thinking he might be spotted, then placed the book inside his shirt to read later. 'If Sokka can swipe some books why can't I?' After that he bent down to pick up the dropped parchment, and it had of all things Aang's name written on it. He put this in his pocket, knowing the bald monk would want to see this.

Moving around the corner he saw a display of Air Nomad garments shown on faceless mannequins, both male and female with the female display having a wig that made her look like she was going bald, and a collection of glider staffs along the walls.

"Hey, I wonder if I could try out some moves with one of those." He said to himself, moving to pick up a staff. He felt like it was in good condition, and a little heavier than it looked but nothing like Ryoga's umbrella. Holding it, he noticed that it wanted to level itself, indicating that the ends were weighted.

'Maybe this one was designed to be a combat staff.' He thought, surprised but not disappointed. He spun it around and did some thrusts, enjoying how natural it felt in his hands. 'I've never been much of a weapon guy, but I could enjoy this.'

Grabbing a scroll for reference, he went to the bridged walkways for room to practice, and almost ran in Wan Shi Tang.

"What are you doing with my relics?" The owl asked.

"Oh, I'm trying out one of the airbending stances I saw here. And I learn better by doing than reading." Ranma asked.

"You're an airbender?" Wan Shi Tang asked while Shampoo went around him to stand next to the pigtailed teen. "But you look nothing like an Air Nomad."

"Let's just say I'm not your traditional Air Nomad." Ranma answered. "Is it okay if I do some hands-on learning?"

The big owl was silent for a moment. "I suppose it's better you do that then practice firebending in here. At least airbending is meant to be the least destructive art. But do not damage my relics." He finished while leaning in Ranma's face.

"You got it." He said.

"Good." Wan Shi Tang said, walking down the bridge to go find the others in the library.

* * *

"So now that we know what a solar eclipse does, how does that help us? It's not like we know when the next one is going to happen." Katara asked.

"But we can find out." Sokka said, adjusting the calendar dial.

"What are you going to do Sokka? Check each day in the future one by one until you see the eclipse again?" Katara asked.

"You got a better idea? Because I don't see a 'find the next eclipse' setting on this thing." He replied, setting a date a month in the future and pushing the lever. "Besides, we don't need to check too far ahead, if there's no eclipse before the comet arrives then it wouldn't help us in the first place."

"He's right, it has to be before Sozen's Comet or not at all." Aang agreed.

"Would anyone mind if I went back to seeing what this library has to offer?" Zei asked.

"Sure, knock yourself out." Sokka waved him off, trying another date.

After three more attempts, it looked like Sokka was getting closer to finding the day he was looking for.

"What are you doing?" Wan Shi Tang asked when he got into the planetarium.

"Umm..." Sokka said nervously while Momo tried to hide behind Aang.

"Oh, one of your knowledge seekers showed us this room, and since we saw a lunar eclipse not that long ago, we were curious if this could show us when a solar eclipse would happen." Katara said for him.

"Hmm... very well, but I'll be keeping an eye on you all." The big owl asked. "Where's the anthropology professor?"

"Probably nose-deep in a book somewhere." Aang remarked.

* * *

"Damn, sand is harder to bend than I thought." Toph said, wiping some sweat off her forehead. Even though she couldn't see, sweat in her eyes still stung like it did with anyone else. To deal with the heat she had taken off her shirt and draped it over her head, leaving her in a yellow undershirt.

"At least you can create sandstone with it." Kasumi said, wearing her apron on her head like a makeshift turban. She couldn't adjust her clothes since she had nothing else to wear, and she remembered hearing that exposing too much skin to the sun in the desert was a bad idea.

"Enough to stand on. I'm trying to create a wall so we can get more shade. Appa probably would like some too." The blind girl said.

Appa bellowed, as if saying he'd really like that.

Toph stomped on the sand, creating a pillar this time. "This is the best I can do right now." She stomped again creating another pillar close to the first one, then created a third. But before she could create a fourth, she stopped.

"Can you see anything? Because I might be sensing something coming."

Kasumi stood up and got to the other side of Appa, looking everywhere she could. "I see... a sandstorm? And it's getting closer. Wait, no it's not a sandstorm. It's..." She trailed off.

"It's what?" Toph asked.

"People in boats. I think they're those men Zei called sandbenders." Kasumi finished.

Three sandboats owned by sandbenders came at them. The middle one attacked with a wave of sand that hit Appa. Luckily he was sturdy enough to withstand it.

"What do they want?" Toph asked,

Before the housekeeper could respond, the three sandboats surrounded them, circling them like sharks. Toph tried attacking with a wave of sand of her own, but all she created was more the equivalent of a splash. Appa tried to roar as best a sky bison could, and it was about as effective as one might expect.

'What do I do? What do I do?' Kasumi asked herself, scared out of her wits. Uncorking her waterskin she waited for a time when she could waterbend. Doing it too early at her current level would risk wasting what little water she still had with her.

'Ranma, Shampoo, Aang, everyone please get back out here.' She pleaded.

The boats continued to circle them and Toph kept trying to attack. Some of the sandbenders jumped out and got close to Appa and Kasumi. Appa roared and stomped a foot, while Kasumi tried to mimic a fighter's stance. It didn't look that convincing.

One of the sandbenders pointed to her and elbowed his companion, who smiled and nodded.

Despite the desert heat, a chill ran down the woman's spine. 'They're going to try and take me somewhere, do awful things to me. And because this isn't a kid's show anymore, they're not confined to a PG rating here.'

Reacting on her fear, she did some motions Katara had taught her and bent some water, holding it in front of her and working to keep it afloat in the air.

The sandbenders hissed, and caught a few ropes that had been thrown at them from the other side of Appa, who was trying to fight off the others that were trying to tie him down.

"Get outta here!" Toph yelled, trying to hit some of the bandaged men with a pillar from below. One of the sandbenders saw her and managed to hit her with a sand burst first, sending her flying into the tower. She groaned and collapsed on the sand, but wasn't unconscious.

Appa tried to get into the air to get away, but the sandbenders anchored their feet down by encasing them in sand. It gave them enough leverage to prevent the large animal from successfully taking off.

"Let him go!" Kasumi yelled, yes she actually yelled, sending her water at the rope hoping to sever it. However the water simply burst against it like a water balloon, only making the rope damp. One of the sandbenders looking at her got a hand free and bended the sand to cover her feet then pulled them back making her fall. Once she was down more sand covered her hands, pinning her very effectively.

'This can't be happening to me.' She thought, struggling to get free.

Appa's restraints proved too much for him and he collapsed on his belly. The sandbenders tightened the ropes and started moving the sand so it would carry him into position behind one of their stronger sandboats.

"That's it, I'm kicking all your asses!" Toph rued, getting up even though a few muscles in her back protested. She tried sending a stronger sand wave at the boat securing Appa and it did reach the boat but it had too little effect. Thinking quickly the blind girl created a sandstone and levitated it, certain this would do more damage.

"Toph! Help!" Kasumi called out. Now that Appa was trapped, some of the sandbenders were standing over her, looking at her in ways that just screamed rape. One of them even ripped the lower part of her dress off, exposing her legs and panties, making them smile more.

The young girl was torn, knowing she could only help one of them.

"I'm sorry Appa." She said sadly to herself, throwing the sandstone at the sandbenders surrounding Kasumi before rushing up for a more direct application of sandbending. Her stone hit one of them in the head, making the second one look to her. Toph did a quick sand attack at him, and at the current distance it was enough to blind him long enough for her to punch him in the stomach. At the same time she stomped the ground, shattering the sand bonds that were holding Kasumi down.

Kasumi got up and immediately grabbed her torn garment, trying to cover herself with it. But without a belt there was going to be no way to keep it on again.

The first sandbender got behind Toph, and the blind girl managed to hit him with a pillar uppercut. However it was clear that Toph wasn't going to defend herself for much longer. And if she was beaten, then both girls would be whatever the sandbenders forced them to be.

That frightening thought caused something to snap in Kasumi, and she did something she hadn't done in a long, long time.

She got up and slugged one of the men in the face with the hardest punch she could deliver.

The hit sandbender fell to the ground, mostly from it being a lucky strike and being caught off guard. The other sandbender was surprised, and Toph took the chance to slam her hands on the ground creating a sinkhole for the bandaged man to get trapped up to his neck in.

"Thanks Kasumi." Toph said.

The older girl was holding her fist, rubbing the knuckles and wrist looking like she was in pain. "No problem." She said in a very strained way.

One of the sandbenders on the boat waved their hand, telling the ones near the girls that they had to leave. Two of the sandboats had already left, taking Appa with them, and the third one was falling behind waiting to see if they could abduct the girls too. The one Kasumi hit got up, rubbing his jaw and spitting a tooth out, doing some sandbending to free the man Toph had trapped. Both sneered, but they headed to the sandboat and fled.

The danger gone, Toph collapsed on the sand. "That was tough."

"That was scary." Kasumi added, sitting next to the blind girl. "Thank you Toph, I owe you big time for saving me."

"What are we going to do about Appa?" Toph asked.

"I... don't know." Kasumi said, feeling bad about losing the sky bison too. She looked to the top of the tower, as if expecting the group to come out any second.

* * *

"Thank you for letting us look through your archive." Katara said with a bow when the group was satisfied with their search. It was getting later in the afternoon, after the worst of the heat of the day but before the cold of night would be upon them.

"Thank you for not looking for something to cause pain." Wan Shi Tang said, having kept a direct eye on them since the planetarium. The group had managed to convince the owl that their interest in the solar eclipse was purely for observational purposes. This allowed Sokka to find the right date, which was in a few months and before Sozen's Comet came near the summer solstice. After that, to put on a better show of nonviolence they went back to the history section and even the Water Tribe section.

"Well we told you we weren't." Sokka stated, hoping the big owl wouldn't notice some of the books he had stowed away in his bag. It was a library, shouldn't he be allowed to take things out too?

"Remember, knowledge is meant to make life better, not violent." Wan Shi Tang said.

"We will remember." Aang said with a respectful bow.

"As a token of my gratitude, I will allow the non-traditional airbender here to keep the staff he has been practicing with in his time here. This will hopefully encourage better learning and less strife for you all." Wan Shi Tang added.

Ranma's eyes widened. "You mean it? I can just take this?" He held out the staff for reference.

"I do this only because I am glad that there are indeed some humans who are less predictable than others and treasure knowledge like I do. The enthusiasm with which you practiced what you read was what I like to see in your species. If letting you keep one staff will continue that, I will be content."

"Thank you." Ranma said with a respectful bow. 'At least he didn't say anything about the book.'

"Hey, where's Zei?" Katara asked.

"Over here." Zei could be heard. The group looked over the bridge, seeing him on the floor below seated by a bookcase surrounded by books and scrolls. "I'm going to be staying a bit longer. I've spent too much time searching for this vast collection of knowledge to just leave it in one afternoon."

"Umm... you came here with us. How are you going to leave without us?" Ranma asked.

"I'll figure that out later on. But I'm not concerned. I could spend the rest of eternity here and call it a life well lived." Zei said with a wistful smile as he put a hand on a book.

'Nerd.' Ranma thought.

"Let's get going. Appa, Toph, and Kasumi are probably bored waiting for us." Aang said, starting to climb the rope up.

Everyone climbed out, and then used the same rope to get down the tower exterior.

"Alright, next stop is Ba Sing Se." Sokka said, folding up the rope after Aang flew back up to untie it.

"Hey, where's Appa?" The bald monk asked, seeing the two girls in the shade of the tower but no sky bison. Kasumi had tied her torn dress around her waist making it sort of a makeshift skirt now. It exposed more of her legs than she preferred, but it at least covered her personal area.

Toph and Kasumi briefly looked at him, their faces covered in remorse, before they looked away.

Aang gasped and dropped his staff.


	13. Desert Discord

**Legends of the Four Masters****  
**_#13—Desert Discord_

"Ah, Princess Azula, it's an honor to have you here. What brings you to my camp anyway?" A soldier stationed at a Fire Nation base asked when Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee strolled on in.

Azula grinned and held up a folded piece of parchment. "I need you to do an errand on my behalf. Something has come up that requires my undivided attention, but the matter I was addressing before is too important to just ignore. So I need you to put someone of good caliber on it."

"Of course. Anything you say Princess." The soldier said. "You're in luck. The Rough Rhinos are coming here tonight to give a show. When they're done I'll ask them to get on this."

"Rough Rhinos?" Mai asked, unfamiliar with the name.

"Oh I know them." Ty Lee said with a smile. "They're really good. Before I became a circus star I tried to join their group. But they told me I didn't quite meet the standards of the group, such as how I don't fight with a weapon or firebending and how I sing like an armadillo-bear in heat. Their words not mine."

"Can these Rough Rhinos of yours capture fugitives?" Azula asked.

The soldier nodded. "It's one of their specialties. Who are the fugitives?"

"My brother and uncle, Zuko the banished prince and Iroh the Dragon of the West. As well as some new male companion of theirs I do not know the name of." The Fire Princess answered. "Since these are such wanted criminals, I want reassurance that these men you have in mind are capable of doing the task."

"I have faith in them. But if you have time to wait you can see their qualifications tonight."

"I wouldn't mind waiting Azula." Ty Lee offered.

"What would we do while we wait? You know I hate being bored." Mai asked.

Azula's eyes darted right then left for a moment while she hummed in thought, then glanced at the parchment in her hands. "I'm afraid we'll have to pass. We need to make it to the northern Earth Kingdom post haste. If these Rough Rhinos are worth the job, that will suffice."

The soldier nodded with a smile, but he had a hard time keeping it when Azula gave her own wicked grin. "Because if they don't, you will be demoted to cleaning up the animal dung around here."

"But we don't have any animals here." The soldier pointed out.

Azula kept her grin. "Then you won't be needed now will you?"

The soldier nodded. "I understand Princess. They will not fail you."

* * *

"YOU LOST APPA?!"

"We were ambushed by sandbenders." Kasumi tried to tell him.

"And you just stood there and let them take Appa?" Aang asked, his anger skyrocketing once the shock had passed.

"Do we look like the kind of girls who'd just stand back and do nothing Twinkle Toes?" Toph told him.

"You're supposed to be this great and powerful earthbender! How could you not stop them?" He pressed, getting in the blind girl's face.

"I told you this is sand. Bending sand is different than bending normal earth. Besides they attacked Kasumi too. I couldn't save them both." The blind girl explained, spreading her arms as she spoke.

Aang didn't look like this was good enough for him. "You mean you didn't _want_ to save them both! You _never_ liked Appa! You probably _wanted_ them to take him!"

"That's not true Aang." Kasumi said, walking up to the young boy.

Aang turned his angry look towards the quiet housekeeper. "And what about you? What were you doing when Appa was being taken by sandbenders?"

"I was almost being taken myself. Look at my clothes. They were trying to take me captive too."

"Well maybe they should have taken you instead of Appa!" Aang declared angrily.

Everyone was surprised to hear the Avatar say that to the quiet housekeeper.

"Hey! You take that back!" Ranma said as he stomped up to the younger airbender.

Aang glared at the older male. "Why should I? It's because she's so weak that my only friend was taken away from me!"

"Your only friend? So all this time you haven't been traveling around with others? It's been just you and the buffalo?" Ranma argued.

"Ranma, Aang, calm down." Kasumi tried to say, but it looked like they ignored her.

"What do you know about Appa and me? You're not even a real Air Nomad in the first place!" Aang yelled, trying to get in Ranma's face despite the difference in their heights.

"That's right, I'm _not _an Air Nomad. But I don't_ need_ to be one to know that saving a woman from being abducted is not a bad thing."

"And how are we supposed to get out of this desert? Ride Kasumi's back?" Aang asked.

Ranma snorted. "I get the feeling you wouldn't be this angry if Toph had saved Katara instead now would you?"

Aang blinked but he still looked mad. "That's completely different."

"And what makes Katara worth saving but not Kasumi?" Ranma challenged.

"I'm not saying that." The bald monk objected.

"Look boys, there's no need to fight." Kasumi said, stepping up to the arguing boys.

"No, I want to hear why the great peace-loving Avatar believes a bunch of grown men should have taken you instead of Appa." Ranma insisted firmly.

"Toph should have been able to save them both!" Aang claimed.

"I told you I couldn't." Toph reminded him. "They had the advantage out here and it was easier to free Kasumi. Even if I had tried saving Appa there was no guarantee I could have."

"Guys, can we focus on the bigger problem?" Sokka asked. "How are we going to get out of this desert?"

Aang looked like he was ready to attack each and every one of them right then. "How can you think about leaving this place when we should be trying to rescue Appa? None of you care about anything but yourselves!"

"Oh yeah, the little boy throwing a tantrum is the mature one here." Ranma said sarcastically, crossing his arms.

Aang quickly turned to glare at the older airbender. "What did you just say to me?"

"I said you're a little boy throwing a tantrum. You think you're not?" Ranma repeated.

Aang spun and sent an air blast at Ranma, who jumped over it. Ranma then made a beckoning motion with her hand while taking a stance, and Aang charged at him, sending another air attack.

"Guys stop it!" Katara yelled, shocked to see them start fighting.

Ranma rolled away from the air blast and spun his new staff, sending a cloud of swept sand into the air which obscured Aang's vision. The bald monk created a whirlwind to blow away the sand. Ranma got in close and punched the boy in the stomach.

Aang fell to his knees gasping for breath, but looked up and Ranma and glared again, jumping up to punch the pigtailed young man in the jaw. Ranma went back but not off his feet.

"So you can do something other than blow your breath. Good, but not good enough." Ranma remarked, rubbing his jaw.

Yelling, Aang tried to hit Ranma with his staff, but the older boy blocked it with his own.

"How do we stop them guys?" Katara asked, seeing the two exchange blows with their staffs like swordfighters in quick succession.

"We don't." Shampoo answered.

"What? You can't be serious. We can't be fighting among ourselves."

"We're not. Don't you see what Airen's doing?"

Katara blinked. "He's fighting Aang. He's just making him madder."

Sokka got a knowing expression on his face. "Wait, I get it. Ranma's not trying to get Aang madder Katara. He's giving Aang an outlet for his anger."

"What do you mean?" The Water Tribe girl asked.

"It's like Sokka said. Aang is incredibly angry over losing Appa. He was lashing out at you guys, even Kasumi of all people." Shampoo explained. "Airen is giving Aang a target to lash out on now. Something to take all that anger out on and get it out of his system. When this is over, Aang is going to feel a whole lot better and not do something stupid."

Katara looked skeptical. "Oh, and fighting in anger isn't stupid?"

"Not right now it isn't." Kasumi spoke up. "Ranma's used to being the one people take their anger out on. This time though is one of the few times he can fight back. And in doing so he can learn some airbending for himself. Trust me Katara, this is the best thing Ranma can do for Aang right now."

Back with the fighters, Aang had enough of them clashing staffs and jumped back, airbending to propel himself far enough to get some distance. "What's with you? You're not bending at all."

"I don't need to." Ranma answered, twirling his staff around. "But if you insist, I could show you some things I read in the library. Show you how an airbender fights."

Aang grit his teeth. "I'll show you how an airbender fights!" He then started running to his opponent, quickly enough to kick up a large sand cloud trail behind him.

Ranma spun one of his hands around creating a visible whirlwind above him, flattened like a small hurricane. He spun around on his left foot and threw the whirlwind like a disc, and like a disc it flew forward in a curve that missed Aang. Then it sort of fizzled into nonexistance.

'Not good. It wasn't supposed to do that.' Ranma thought.

The bald monk had to slow down to jump and do a cartwheel kick that sent an air blast at Ranma from above like a hammer strike. Ranma ducked and rolled forward, jumping up and throwing a punch that sent a burst of air to push Aang back just a bit.

Up in the air Aang used his glider to maneuver himself and dive towards Ranma, throwing some air blasts that made the sand around the pigtailed young man practically erupt and sting his eyes. Blinded for a bit, Ranma ducked and rolled, just barely missing Aang's attempt to headbutt him.

Back on his feet and rubbing his eyes, Ranma spun around and threw another small cyclone that flew in a curve missing Aang. The bald monk dropped to the ground and did a powerful air blast that send Ranma flying back a good seven meters, crashing into the sand.

That was when the cyclone Ranma had made earlier returned to hit Aang in the back. That particular airbending exercise created the airbending equivalent of a boomerang, meant to hit the target from behind rather than up front.

The attack didn't hurt Aang any more than any normal airbending move can before, but the shock value did its job and made him get on his knees and pause the fight for a bit.

"Now, are you going to help your friends survive this desert? Or are you going to keep thinking that you're the only one here that's got a problem?" Ranma asked, sitting up in the sand.

Aang fumed, eyes throwing daggers at the older boy, but he didn't continue the conflict. Instead he sat down and looked away, like he was sulking.

Ranma got up, dusted off his clothes and rejoined the others while Katara walked past him heading to Aang.

"I'm disappointed in you Ranma." She said softly.

"You're not the first woman to feel that way." He muttered.

Katara came up from behind the sulking Air Nomad. "Aang, it's okay. We're all concerned about Appa. Even Ranma is despite his attitude. You're not the only one who's upset. But fighting us isn't going to make him come back. Right now we have to-"

She stopped when he stood up and continued to face away from her. He took a deep breath and put one foot forward.

"I'm going after Appa. I'm not going anywhere until I have him back."

"Aang wait!" Katara called as he took to the air, flying off towards the horizon.

"Now what?" Toph asked, kicking some sand.

"We have to try and get to Ba Sing Se. They have to be told about the solar eclipse." The Water Tribe girl answered.

"You expect us to just walk to Ba Sing Se from here?" Sokka asked.

"You got a better idea?" His sister asked back.

"Maybe the giant owl would give us a ride?" He suggested. Everyone gave him a deadpan look. "Yeah I didn't think so either."

With no other choice, they started walking in a random direction, hoping to reach the edge of the desert at some point if not Ba Sing Se itself.

* * *

"Very good Ryoga. You're learning well." Iroh said while watching the lost boy shoot out fireballs from each hand and foot one by one.

"Thanks. I can't wait to show Ranma what I've learned when I find him again." Ryoga said confidently.

"For now though, let's move onto a new method of training." Iroh said, drawing a grid diagram in the sand while holding a bag filled with something. "Are you familiar with Pai Sho?"

"No, not at all."

Zuko, who had been training too, stopped for a moment. "You're going to call a game training Uncle?"

"Pai Sho is more than just a game Zuko. It helps teach many things. Such as strategy, formation, and awareness of your opponent's methods. Most firebenders prefer to just strike in rapid succession and let the fire do the rest. But if you think of battle as one big Pai Sho game, you see that it's smarter to outmaneuver the enemy than clobber them."

"So it's like shogi?" Ryoga asked.

Iroh shrugged. "I don't know what that is so I couldn't say. But I can teach you this game. If you get it, you'll find your firebending to be more effective. Same with your attitude."

"I told you I don't have an attitude problem." Ryoga insisted.

"Then keep it that way, lest you end up like Zuko's sister." Iroh warned.

"I stood up to her last time. I can do it again." The lost boy claimed.

Zuko jolted back a bit. "Dude, you burned her clothes off. Right now she's probably trying to decide whether or not to have your remains dumped at sea or thrown in a volcano."

Ryoga paled to hear this.

"Let's not think about gruesome death right now. Let's just play a calming game of Pai Sho." Iroh offered, sitting on the ground at one end of the grid diagram and opening the pouch containing his game tiles. "Now, here's how you play..."

* * *

The Avatar group, currently lacking the Avatar, had been walking through the desert for an amount of time none had even considered measuring, and the heat was getting to them all.

"Can't you watch where you're-?" Sokka started after Toph bumped into him.

"No, I can't." She reminded him.

"Right, sorry."

"C'mon guys, we got to stick together." Katara said.

"If I sweat any more, sticking together won't be a problem." Sokka commented, trying to get Toph and himself unstuck. With a push, the blind girl managed to make that happen.

"Katara, can I have some water?" Toph asked.

Katara looked to Kasumi, who looked a bit upset. "Sorry, I tried to fight off the sandbenders but it didn't work. I lost all my water and it evaporated before I could try to bend it out of the sand."

"You didn't get hurt did you?"

"No, but I punched one of them good." Kasumi answered, looking at her hand. "Probably not my best idea."

"Why? Did you hurt your hand?" Katara asked.

"It's not important." The housekeeper said, looking away.

"Water please." Toph repeated.

"Alright, but we have to make it last." The Water Tribe girl then bent it into seven of small hovering balls and had them hover to her companions faces, who swallowed their offers. This included Momo and herself.

"Wait, are we drinking your bending water?" Sokka asked, noting a strange aftertaste. Then a memory came to him. "You used this on the swamp guys!"

"It does taste swampy." Toph added.

Momo couldn't complain, but he looked like the taste bothered him too.

"It's all we have." Katara said apologetically.

"What swamp guys?" Ranma asked, wiping his mouth.

"A few waterbenders they encountered before they met Toph." Kasumi answered.

"Hey look!" Sokka said, pointing to a cactus. He went right up to it and chopped off a segment and held it like a bowl, drinking some of the juice within.

"Sokka wait, you shouldn't be eating strange plants." Katara warned, grabbing Toph's wrist before rushing to her brother.

Sokka ignored her and helped himself to some more cactus juice, even giving some to Momo. "There's water trapped inside these." He said, offering them a makeshift bowl.

"I don't know." Katara said, uncertain.

"I'll have some." Shampoo said, taking a bowl and drinking it.

"You sure about that?" Katara asked.

Shampoo nodded. "We have a special breed of cactus growing near my home. We ate and drank from them all the time."

"Oh yeah, I remember seeing some cactus around that area. Pop fell into a batch the day before we got to see your village." Ranma said with a laugh, remembering the panda covered with cactus needles.

"You oughta try this guys. It's very thirst-quenching." The Water Tribe boy stated.

At that point his pupils dilated and his mind felt very relaxed and somewhat disconnected. "Drink cactus juice, It'll quench you." He then got on the sand and started moving like a worm. "Nothing's quenchier." Done with that, he jumped back to his feet and tried to look directly in Katara's eyes. "It's the quenchiest."

"I think you've had enough." Katara said, taking his cactus juice and pouring it into the sand.

"Could I have some?" Toph asked, unable to see Sokka's behavior.

"Bad idea." Katara warned.

Sokka leaned in to examine the blind girl. "Who lit Toph on fire?"

Above them, Momo was loudly flying around in circles like he was trying to catch his own tail, before diving right into the sand. Even after the lemur landed, Sokka kept looking up.

Shampoo meanwhile was looking at her outstretched hands, moving them as if she was trying to find something in the dark. "Whoa, look at that. The sand is changing colors. Was it always doing that? Oh the sky is too now."

"We should get going." Katara advised, picking up the drugged lemur and walking off, followed by Toph. Then she went back and dragged her dazed brother too.

"This way Shampoo." Ranma said, putting his hands on her shoulders from behind and guiding her forward.

"Airen, your face is upside-down." Shampoo said, putting her hand on his face to feel for it. Sadly for Ranma this meant she came close to poking him in the eye. It got worse when he grabbed him and started turning, like she was trying to get his face back into its proper position.

"How did we get out here in the middle of the ocean?" Sokka asked, making his sister sigh.

"This is going to be a long day." Katara complained.

* * *

"APPA!" Aang yelled, trying everything he could to find his animal companion. But looking, yelling, even the bison whistle, nothing seemed to work. It was as if the desert had simply swallowed him.

"APPA!" Aang called again, landing on a dune to give himself a rest from gliding.

'What if he's... gone for good?' He asked himself, on the verge of tears now.

"No." He said to himself, closing his eyes as if to deny himself any crying. "NO!" He then jumped and hit the sand with a powerful air burst, taking his anger out on the desert. This created a giant mushroom cloud of sand that could be seen for miles. The aftershocks spread out, hitting his friends as they crossed over a dune.

"What is that?" Katara asked, seeing the explosion but not the cause.

"What? What is what?" Toph asked, looking around futilely.

"It's... it's a... a giant mushroom!" Sokka said happily, spreading his arms out in a welcoming manner.

"Hey look it's smiling at us." Shampoo added, pointing at the cloud then waving at it.

"Maybe it's friendly!" Sokka added.

"Let's just keep moving you two." Katara said, guiding Toph some more. "I hope Aang's okay." She said quietly to herself.

Sokka waved his arms around as if trying to beckon to the mushroom he saw, and Shampoo soon joined him in those same moves. "Friendly mushroom. Mushy giant friend..."

Shampoo said some kind of gibberish in her native Chinese, but the way she said it made it sound like she was trying to give the 'mushroom' a lullaby.

Ranma sighed and grabbed them both at the collars from behind, dragging them. "Come on you two. The mushroom's a little busy right now."

Back at the sight of the explosion. Aang took a few breaths then went back to his aerial search.

* * *

"Thank you for putting on a good show for us Colonel Mon Kei." The soldier who had spoken with Azula earlier said to a new guest of his camp. "My men really appreciated it."

"We only did it because we're low on work and these shows help us keep our stomachs full." A man with a no nonsense demeanor replied, arms crossed like he wasn't proud of what he had just done.

"If you need work, I do have a job for you. The Fire Princess herself requested it of your men." The soldier said. "She wants you to find some fugitives."

Mon Kei sighed. "I miss being on the front lines. Back then we made a different. Now with nothing but Ba Sing Se left to conquer, I've been reduced to a mere errand boy for the higher ups."

"She said one of the fugitives is her uncle. The man once known as the Dragon of the West."

Mon Kei arched an eyebrow. "The man who came close to conquering Ba Sing Se then just gave up? Now that's a target I don't mind hunting down."

* * *

The sun was setting and there was still no end in sight to the desert. But Aang had returned to his friends.

"Aang!" Katara called out as she rushed over to him when he landed, relieved to see him again. Once she saw him, it was very clear that he was still in a terrible mood, making her stop in place.

"Aang, I'm sorry. I know this is hard for you." She started. "But we need to focus on getting out of here."

"What's the difference?" The bald monk asked, sounding more sad than angry. "We won't survive out here without Appa. We all know it."

"C'mon Aang, we can do this if we work together." Katara tried to reason. "Right Toph?"

"As far as I can feel, we're still in the same place we always were. I can't sense anything that can help us."

"Kasumi, I don't suppose you know anything that could help us right now, do you?"

"Sorry no. The only thing I know about Ba Sing Se is it's the capital of the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation is still trying to conquer it." Kasumi answered. "The story was very vague about that place."

"Why don't you ask the circle birds?" Sokka suggested, laying on his back pointing to the sky.

Everyone except Toph and Aang looked up, seeing four buzzard-bees hovering over them like vultures.

"Are those vultures or insects?" Ranma asked, seeing them act like vultures but they sounded like wasps.

"They're goldfish Airen." Shampoo answered, smiling, but she stopped smiling. "Wait, are we underwater?" Right away she started holding her breath and starting trying to swim up through the air, failing for obvious reasons.

"You're not underwater Shampoo." Ranma said, shaking her a little to get her to calm down.

"We're getting out of this desert and we're going to do it together. Aang, get up. Everybody, hold hands." Katara said, taking charge.

She led the way holding Aang's hand, and in order it went Toph, Kasumi, Ranma, Shampoo, Sokka, and Momo.

"We can do this. We have to."

"A hundred bottles of blubber on the wall." Sokka started singing with a grin. "A hundred-"

"SHUT UP!"

* * *

Night had fallen and everyone had finally stopped for a bit, exhausted and starved and now chilly but still alive.

"Airen I'm cold. Help me get warm." Shampoo said, wrapping her arms and legs around the boy she admired. And as always, Ranma was helpless to escape her grasp.

"Is there anymore water?" Toph asked in a raspy voice. "My throat feels like granite."

"This is the last of it." Katara said, bending all she had left aside from her healing water from the North Pole. That had to be spared in case they got hurt.

Before she could portion it out, Momo jumped at the glop, making it burst and fall into the sand.

"MOMO NO! YOU'VE KILLED US ALL!" Sokka screamed.

"Calm down Sokka." The Water Tribe girl said, bending the spilled water out of the sand.

"Oh right, bending."

Katara put the water back in the waterskin to prevent another spill and gave it to Toph who sipped at it. "Sokka, let me see the things you took from the library."

"What? I didn't steal anything! Who told you that?" He asked defensively, as if accusing of a crime, and guarded his back. He then looked to Momo. "it was you! You ratted me out!" He said, pointing at the lemur. Oddly enough, this actually made Momo look like he was crying.

"Sokka, I was there." Katara reminded him, taking the bag without him noticing.

"It doesn't matter. None of those will tell us where Appa is." Aang muttered.

"No, but we can find out which way Ba Sing Se is." Katara said, looking for a map. One of the things she found was a star chart. "We can use the stars to guide us out of here. We'll have to travel at night then and rest during the day. So let's get some sleep and try again in a few hours."

Toph created some sandstone little by little and sculpted it to give them a shelter that would hopefully keep them warm and out of sight of nocturnal predators. Once done she immediately went to sleep, and everyone else was quick to follow. Ranma was kept up a bit longer thanks to trying to get Shampoo off him.

"Hey Kasumi?" Katara whispered.

"Yes Katara?"

"Did something happen to your hands at some point?"

Kasumi blinked, then looked away. "It's not important."

"Something did happen didn't it? That's why it hurts you to bend. Why you can't climb a rope. What happened?" Katara replied.

Kasumi sighed and looked at both of her hands. "I was the firstborn in a family of martial artists. I was once trained to be the heir to the family dojo. But... there was an accident. My little sister Akane knocked over a stockpile of bricks that would have crushed her. I pushed her out of the way, but some of the bricks... completely crushed my hands. All the bones, even a few in my arms, they were shattered terribly."

"I'm so sorry." Katara couldn't help but say.

"It gets worse. You see, my family was in a difficult spot financially, so my father got the idea that he could mend my hands himself. He wrapped and set them himself, but the pain didn't go away and only got worse when I did any moving. Then he got me to a local medic who had just moved in and helped set my hands and soothe the pain. But that was all he could do."

"Did it work?" Katara asked.

Kasumi made fists for a moment, but relaxed them just as quickly. "Not really. The bones have healed, but there was a lot of internal damage left. My muscles and nerves have been screwed up since. I was forced to give up being a martial artist, doing housework and cleaning as a way to build up the strength in my hands again for the past ten years. But even now it still hurts to do too much with them."

She closed her eyes, remembering what else had happened because of this experience. Soun had wanted to take her to a hospital, but because he still owed a bill for the treatment of his late wife he feared they wouldn't treat his daughter without that payment first. He had tried to open more classes in his dojo but his erratic and overprotective habits in training to avoid more accidents scared off the kids, along with spreading rumors of what Kasumi had experienced making parents pull their children out of the program.

Soun felt like he had failed his daughter and did whatever he could to help Tofu treat Kasumi, including having the Nerima city council provide city-sponsored funding for non-profit organizations. Nabiki had in fact started her moneymaking schemes as an attempt to try and earn enough to get her sister proper treatment. And Akane had felt terribly guilty about being the cause of Kasumi's injury, thus resulting in her desperation to be a stronger martial artist and a ready housekeeping assistant to her. All as a way to apologize. Akane's habit of breaking bricks was even a way for her to ensure she'd never experience this injury herself.

'That one incident affected my family forever. Just like the day Mom died, and the day Ranma showed up.' Kasumi thought, opening her eyes again.

"I might be able to heal them." Katara offered.

Kasumi shook her head. "I've seen you heal Katara. This isn't a recent injury, this happened ten years ago. I don't think you can heal this anymore than you could heal Zuko's scar."

"I could try." Katara insisted.

Kasumi shook her head again then laid down in the sand. "Don't waste your water healing what can't be healed."

The Water Tribe girl looked at the older woman for a bit, then sighed and laid down, drifting off to sleep.


	14. Regrets of an Avatar

**Legends of the Four Masters****  
**_#14—Regrets of an Avatar_

"C'mon, get up. We need to go." Katara said to her sleeping brother sometime after midnight, who had been covered by sand courtesy of Momo.

Sokka sat up but looked like he was too tired or too drugged to be upright. Toph sat up and tried to spit out a bad taste.

"Yesterday my mouth tasted like mud. Now it just tastes like sand. I never thought I'd miss the taste of mud so much."

"Ugh my head." Shampoo said, getting up with a groan while holding her head, eyes closed tightly. "I'm never going to have the cactus at home again."

"You back to normal Shampoo?" Ranma asked, holding her steady since she wobbled a bit.

She managed to partly open one eye at him. "I'll be fine. My vision's a little blurry and I taste vomit, but at least I don't feel like I'm drugged anymore."

"You didn't have as much cactus juice as Sokka and Momo, so maybe you got it out of your system quicker." Kasumi theorized, stretching her limbs.

"My head hurts." The purple-haired girl groaned. 'Great-grandmother would have a remedy ready for me if she were here.'

Katara was about to wake up Aang. "I'm awake." He said, making her stop. "I couldn't sleep."

"Well, we need to get moving if we want to get out of this sand pit."

Aang got up but as he did he could see a dark shadow pass in front of the moon. "Appa!" He said happily.

"Appa?" Sokka asked, rubbing Momo's tail against his face. "But why would Princess Yue need him? She's the moon. She flies by herself."

"Was that how I sounded?" Shampoo whispered to Ranma.

"Not as bad." He whispered back.

The moonlight helped make the dark shape look a bit easier to make out, and it wasn't the missing sky bison.

"It's just a cloud." Katara said, sounding as disappointed as Aang felt. But then she got an idea. "Wait, clouds are made of water. Aang, go up to that cloud. You could bend the water into this." She held out her waterskin.

Annoyed that his animal companion was still gone from him, Aang took the waterskin and went off into the air. The cloud was gone in two passes, then he landed and gave the waterskin back.

Katara bended the water within to see how much they had, and it was less than she had expected. It looked like the the amount you'd find in a large puddle. "Is this it?"

"It's a desert cloud. There wasn't much there to begin with." Aang said in a snappy tone.

Katara sighed. "This will still help. Thank you Aang." Putting the water back in the container then putting the waterskin aside, she looked at the star chart. "Let's just keep moving. We need to head this direction."

Everyone started following her, the trek slow and making them wish they were sleepwalking.

"Watch out there Toph." Kasumi said, gently helping the blind girl move aside.

"Why?"

"You were about to stub your toe on a rock." She said, glancing at a big stone sticking out of the sand.

"Thanks Kasumi. I'm so sick of not feeling where I'm going. This is the first time in a long time I've actually felt blind."

The group walked past the rock, never realizing by doing so they were passing a buried sandboat that could have gotten them out of the desert much faster.

"Anyone else notice that we seem to be experiencing a heat wave?" Ranma asked.

"We're in a desert. What do you expect?" Aang asked snidely, still a little miffed at the pigtailed teen for their scuffle earlier.

"I'm no expert, but I remember hearing somewhere that deserts can be frickin' cold at night. And none of us are shivering." Ranma continued.

"We spent time at the South and North Poles. You don't know what cold is." Katara stated.

"You know what hunger is? Because I'm starving."

"Me too. We haven't eaten since the last town." Kasumi added. Thanks to her regular work in the kitchen, she was not used to being forced into situations where food was not easy for her to get.

"All our food was with Appa." Aang sadly replied.

"We have to find something to eat. Something that won't mess with our minds." Ranma said, looking around for anything other than sand.

"And where are we going to find something?" Aang asked.

"You can fly can't you? That's a start."

"You can cover more ground if you teach Ranma how to fly Aang." Kasumi added.

Aang looked at the pigtailed boy for a bit, as if trying to decide whether or not the older airbender deserved to be taught that or not. Like Ranma admitted, he wasn't an Air Nomad, so while Aang felt fine with teaching him some basics, he didn't really want to teach something so important to his culture to someone who showed so little respect for it.

But at the same time, hunger is a powerful motivator.

"Here's what you do." The bald monk started, getting his glider ready and over himself, waiting for Ranma to mimic that. "This is not like the rest of bending. You can't move your body during flight. If you try, you'll lose balance and just end up falling."

"The basic way to start with airbending for gliding is in how you use your legs. But the real key to it is feeling a bond with the air itself. Since you can't bend with your body once you're in the air, you have to bend with your mind. The air will try to take control, tell you where your glider can and can't go. You have to take control of it."

Aang crouched down and Ranma could hear some wind swirling around his legs a little bit. The bald monk jumped and it was clear he had bended the air to help propel him up. Once he was up though, there was nothing to really show how he was able to stay in the air.

'Alright, do what he did.' Ranma thought, crouching down and picturing the air getting ready to rocket him to the sky. Then he jumped...

...and crashed on the sand.

Sokka, who had taken a moment to try and bury Momo in the sand this time, saw this and laughed a little before giving a thumbs up.

Aang landed and walked up to the martial artist who was moving to sit up. "Usually this is done by jumping off a peak or something. If you had something to jump off of that might make it easier."

"How exactly am I supposed to bend the air with my mind? What am I supposed to do? Tell the air to lift me up?" Ranma asked, standing up and dusting some sand off him.

"That's a start. Unless you'd rather blow your breath to move around."

Ranma blinked. "That might help me get up if nothing else."

Crouching again, trying to command the air by thought alone, Ranma took a deep breath and held it before jumping into the air. Naturally due to his history of jumping from roof to roof, he could jump higher than a normal person, so this helped him get some extra altitude. The problem of course was obtaining the lift necessary to keep it.

Once he was up, Ranma tried an airbending exhale to push himself forward and help level his glider to catch any natural air currents that existed. For a bit it actually worked and he glided, though once Ranma needed to inhale again he started to nosedive.

Rather than try an exhale like that again, Ranma settled for maneuvering himself so he could land painlessly.

"You did better that time. Now you just gotta do it without having to keep blowing your breath."

"Can we keep looking for food while you two work on this?" Kasumi asked.

"I'll go look for something. Ranma should keep practicing while you guys look too." Aang said before taking off into the air.

"We really should look for ourselves." Katara suggested. "Aang's a vegetarian so he's only going to look for that sort of thing. Which I don't think there's a lot of in the desert except for more of those cacti."

"Please don't." Shampoo groaned.

They kept walking, following Katara's map, after taking Momo out of the sand, with Ranma off to the side trying to learn how to fly. When he saw a dune up ahead he tried running towards it like a kid trying to get a kite to fly, and jumped off the top.

He tried to will the air to keep him up, bend with his thoughts alone. It didn't work and he crashed again.

"Ugh, what am I doing wrong?" He asked, getting back up.

"Maybe you should flap your arms." Sokka suggested.

"Say Ranma, when you airbend normally how do you make the air go where you want it to go?" Kasumi asked.

"It's like anytime you use a weapon. You think of it as an extension of your body rather than separate from it. I try that with air, but it's easy to make air move with your body. When I fly, I'm staying still. How does Aang do it?"

"Well, maybe you don't need to move your body to stay up in the air. Aang doesn't, and Appa barely did move than flap his tail." Kasumi started, pausing for a bit because she felt bad for mentioning Appa. Everyone else present felt a bit bad too. "Anyway, airbending might work differently than the other kinds."

"Airen, didn't you say it used negative jing?" Shampoo asked, holding her head like she had a bad headache.

"Yeah, so what?" He asked back.

"Maybe you should think of it as retreating into the sky, not as just gliding."

Ranma blinked. "Actually, that might be a good idea." 'I'm so used to taking an offensive approach I keep forgetting that airbending is based on defensive tactics.' He then got his glider ready. "One more time."

He ran towards the top of the dune and again jumped. Like the other times he tried forming a connection with the air using his jing, but this time he tried focusing in a different way. 'Don't think about what my body is doing. I'm escaping the ground and the air is helping me.'

He felt some wind come under the wings of his glider and push up. Feeling confident, he tried to imagine the wind moving in place of his own body.

'Form a connection with the air, think of it as an extension of my body, and if it is, then it can do the moving instead of my body. Maybe that's how I airbend without moving.'

The wind continued, and soon enough Ranma was gaining altitude.

"He's doing it! He's flying!" Kasumi said, clapping her hands together happily.

Shampoo sighed despite her headache. "Airen never ceases to amaze him."

Sokka looked confused. "Aang's back already? I hope he brought food. Momo's starting to look tasty about now."

The flying lemur was too busy trying to stand on its head to notice.

Ranma smiled proudly, trying to practice guiding himself. Turning was easy enough, but each time he did he lost some altitude and had to regain it. 'This is awesome! I've never felt so free in my life!'

His stomach however was less thrilled about being able to fly, and with a lot of caution he tried to land. Landing of course was the hardest part of flying and not the same as landing from a big jump. The momentum threw the pigtailed boy off when he tried to land on his feet so he fumbled and rolled, dropping his staff.

Kasumi and Katara came up to Ranma. "You okay?"

He forced a smile. "I've been through worse. And now that I can do this, I'll go find us some food."

"If we're going to be staying here waiting for dinner, can I try making something?" Toph asked.

"Like what?" Sokka asked, chewing slightly on his own hand.

Toph stomped her foot and created some sandstone, then extended her arms and crossed them like an X. This made a few small sandstone walls on the edges.

"I'd like something solid to stand on if we're not walking. And we might as well make some walls and a roof to block out the wind and the sun if Twinkle Toes and Airhead take too long."

"I'm not going to say no to that." Shampoo said with a nod.

"Alright, I'll try not to be that long. I'll get you guys food even if it ends up being a camel." Ranma declared, getting his glider ready and jumping off a dune again, taking back to the air.

Toph went to work making more sandstone and walls. "Hey Yokel, want to lend a hand?"

Shampoo stretched out her hands, but winced and put them back on her head. She made pained noises that also sounded nauseous.

Katara gently put a hand on the purple-haired girl's shoulder. "Want me to try to soothe the pain?"

"Yes." Shampoo requested with a groan.

Bending some of her North Pole water, Katara began to give Shampoo a gentle touch that made it look like she was washing the Chinese Amazon's hair. Almost right away Shampoo stopped groaning and sounded like she was enjoying the treatment.

"Thanks, I feel much better."

"Be more careful with what you drink from now on." The Water Tribe girl advised, putting her water back into its container.

Shampoo nodded and sighed, her eyes closed in relief as she felt the last of her pain fade away. But then all of a sudden her eyes shot open like she just got shocked.

"What? No, it... she couldn't..."

"What now?" Katara asked.

Shampoo shook her head and covered her eyes. "I'm not sure. I... I need some time to figure something out please."

'What is with this group not wanting to accept my help?' Katara asked herself.

* * *

Flying around, Aang had to avoid going too high so he wouldn't miss something in the cover of darkness. But while he was trying to find food, his mind kept shifting back to trying to find Appa.

'Why would the sandbenders take Appa? What would they do with him? For that matter, what would they do with Kasumi if they had taken her?'

Aang didn't quite get all the facts of life before being frozen after all. He understood the idea of love and what it meant to have a crush on someone, but beyond that he still didn't know what else was involved in relationships between men and women that were more than platonic.

'What was that?' He thought, something catching his eye. Looking to make sure he wasn't imagining things, he was surprised that he did in fact see what he thought he saw. A soft glow, like a lantern or fire burning.

'Someone's out here.' He thought, developing a bit of a frown. 'Maybe they know where Appa is.'

Heading towards the light, the bald monk soon got close enough to see what was the source of the glow. It was an open campfire with a small group of people around it sleeping. But there was one person not asleep at all, a child by the looks of it tending to one of the animals.

Aang landed and the child, dressed in sandbender clothes with the face exposed, turned to him and looked ready to scream. "Don't hurt us please." Despite their fear, the child, a boy judging by the voice, stood protectively in front of a camelephant, a creature that had the body of a two-humped camel but the face of an elephant. There were more camelephants around, but this was the smallest, big enough for just the child to ride.

"I'm the Avatar. Have you seen a bison anywhere?" Aang asked, unwilling to found demanding of a young boy.

"What's a bison?"

"Big with white fur, arrow on his head, horns, and six legs."

The boy shook his head. The camelephant made a sickly bellow and the boy tried to comfort it with a pet and picking up a tray with water in it. "It's okay Tusky. We'll make it to the oasis soon. You'll be much better there."

"Your ride's sick?" Aang asked.

"He's not just our ride. Tusky is my best friend. We've been together for years." The boy said, sounding like he was suffering with his companion. "My name is Tuke of the Waja Sandbender Tribe. We're making a trip to the Sweetgrove Oasis. When we're there I'm going to get some dragon fruit. I hear they help make people and animals stop being sick."

Tusky made a sound like gargling while trying to get some water with his trunk.

"I'm sure Tusky will be just fine." Aang reassured.

Tuke didn't look as happy to hear this as the airbender had expected. "Yeah, grown ups always say that when they really mean they think the animal is a goner."

"No I don't. I mean it." Aang claimed.

Tuke gave him an angry look with tears in the corner of his eyes. "No you don't. My friend was trying to raise a camelephant last year but he got sick too. The grown ups all said the same thing, that he'd be just fine too, but he wasn't. He died and no one did anything about it except use his body for meat and leather. It's like they wanted him to die."

Those words sent haunting ideas of what might be happening to Appa through Aang's mind. "I'm sure they weren't doing that Tuke. After all, these grown ups are helping you heal Tusky right?"

Tuke still frowned. "That's just because we were already going on this trip. If we weren't they wouldn't care. They don't even like Tusky. No one really cares about him except for me."

With those words, Aang recalled his bursts of anger at his friends when they left the library. How he accused Toph of wanting to be rid of the bison. How he said Kasumi should have been taken. How he even went so far as to say none of them, not even Katara or Sokka, cared about Appa at all and were only thinking about themselves.

And he thought of the words Ranma told him. _"I said you're a little boy throwing a tantrum. You think you're not?"_

Aang knelt down to better look at the young boy in the eyes. "It hurts to know your good friend is suffering. I know just how you feel."

Tuke looked away, scratching behind Tusky's ear. "How could you know?"

"Beside my bison is suffering too. And I don't even know where he is. I'd do anything I could to find him and help him out. I'd hate to think of what could be happening to him right now. And even more, I hate the idea that he might be dead right now."

Tuke said nothing, but he stopped frowning.

"It hurts a lot to see Tusky suffer and know you can't make it stop. And it hurts more when it looks like others aren't as bothered by this as you are." Aang started, feeling a little heartache because this was just as much for him as it was for Tuke. "But just because others care about more than just Tusky doesn't mean they don't care about him at all. Grown ups can't do everything, and they often feel bad for that too. They feel bad that they're letting you down and want to help you, but being mad at them doesn't do anything except show how ungrateful you really are to them."

"I'm not ungrateful." Tuke proclaimed.

"No one thinks they are." Aang replied. 'I was such a jerk to them. Ranma was right, I was just like a kid throwing a tantrum. I just miss Appa so much, but...'

He couldn't finish that thought, and he didn't want to start crying in front of the child.

Tuke on the other hand was starting to cry a little while petting the camelephant, which looked like it was finally falling asleep. "You really think Tusky will get better?"

Aang nodded. "I'm sure of it. And these people here are trying to help you. They're taking you to the oasis aren't they?" Tuke slowly nodded. "They're helping you. Don't forget that. Even if it looks like you want Tusky better more than they want it."

"Thanks Avatar."

"By the way, do you know how far the oasis is? I kind of need to get out of this desert."

"I don't know, but we're supposed to be there sometime tomorrow so it can't be far." Tuke answered, then pointed east. "It's somewhere that way."

"Thanks Tuke. And good luck with Tusky. I'm sure he'll be fine once you get him that fruit." Aang said, getting up. His stomach growled. "I don't suppose you have anything you could spare do you?"

* * *

"How you feeling Sokka?" Katara asked her brother.

"I think my head's starting to clear up. But right now I can see two of you." He said, trying to decide which one to look at.

The Water Tribe girl narrowed one eye and arched an eyebrow over the other. "How many fingers am I holding up?" She asked while holding up three.

"Which hand?" Sokka asked back.

"You're still out of it. Think next time before you eat something genius."

"Don't mention eating please." Kasumi asked, laying down on the sandstone. "I've never felt so hungry in my life."

"I could eat cat food right now." Shampoo moaned, having never stooped that low back in Nerima.

"Anyone hear a thumping?" Sokka asked.

"Not now Sokka." Katara told him.

"I hear it too." Toph claimed. "Someone's outside the dome."

It had taken more effort than the expert earthbender had hoped, but she succeeded in creating a sort of sandstone igloo complete with floor. She couldn't sense anything beyond the sandstone, but she could feel the vibrations of anything that hit it.

"It has to be Ranma or Aang then." Katara suggested.

Seeing no reason to argue, Toph created a door by the knocking, and indeed Ranma was outside.

"I found food." He announced as he walked in, holding two dead jackalopes by the horns. "And believe me, it wasn't easy."

"Thank you so much. We can make a fire and cook the meat. Toph, make a hole in the top so the smoke had a vent out." Katara said.

The blind girl created such a hole while the Water Tribe girl took the meat.

"How are you going to make a fire?" Kasumi asked, not seeing anything to burn.

"Anyone done with these?" Sokka asked, holding up the bag that had their pickings from the library.

"Relax, I brought something for that." Ranma said, holding out some dry branches. "The horned rabbits were getting some twigs. Don't know why."

"Times like this we could use a firebender in the group." Kasumi thought out loud, with an image of Zuko appearing in her mind. 'I wonder where he is at the moment anyway.'

Katara took the wood and arranged them to start a fire.

"I can do this." Sokka insisted, grabbing his boomerang.

"Like I'm going to let you anywhere near a fire after you've been nuttier than a skunk-squirrel." His sister chided.

Kasumi came up to her. "Anything I can do?"

"You ever prepared rabbit before?"

Kasumi shook her head.

"I have." Ranma stated. "I had to hunt a lot when my old man and I were traveling around. Cheaper than buying the food sometimes."

"Start skinning it." Katara said, handing him a knife.

Ranma got to work on preparing the meat while Katara got the fire going. Everyone else just waited, and when the meat was put over the fire everyone enjoyed the pleasant aroma.

"Almost makes up for having no water left doesn't it?" Toph asked.

"Hey guys." Aang said at the entrance that Toph hadn't bothered to close back up. "Thought Toph made this thing. I found some food." He held some green stalks and plump fruits.

"So did I." Ranma replied.

Aang came in and sat down, putting down the food for everyone to grab. "Guys, I'm sorry about earlier."

"Aang it's-" Katara started.

"No Katara, it wasn't okay. I acted like a kid and I took it out on you guys. I miss Appa, but you guys aren't the ones I should be angry at. I should be grateful that the rest of you are safe and still with me, not accusing you of wanting to hurt Appa."

"What brought this on?" Ranma asked, turning some of the meat to cook the other side.

"Actually, you helped a lot with that Ranma."

Katara blinked. "He did?"

Aang nodded. "He was right, I was pretty much throwing a tantrum back there. I hurt so much I wanted everyone else to feel as bad as I did. But that didn't make me feel any better. Ranma called me out on that, and while I traveled it finally sank in. Appa isn't the only thing I should be concerned about out here, and he's not my only friend anymore."

Katara glanced to Ranma then back to the bald monk. "So that fight earlier actually did do you some good?"

Aang nodded. "In hindsight, yes."

Katara closed her eyes and suppressed a sigh. 'Boys are so weird.'

"Chowtime." Ranma said, taking the meat off the fire.

"About damn time." Toph said eagerly.

Appa held up one of the fruits. "I'm told that these are as good as water. And safer than the insanity cactus."

"Hand me one of those." Shampoo asked, hand extended. Aang gave her one and she bit in. "Ah this is good."

"Who told you that?" Katara asked.

"A small group of traveling sandbenders. Not the ones that had Appa though."

Everyone took something and ate, glad to finally have something in their stomachs.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I know where we can go next." Aang added. "I got word of an oasis not too far from here. The sandbenders were heading there and said it was less than a day away. We can finally get out of the desert."

"Perfect. I've had enough of sand." Toph commented.

"Maybe you can find out what happened to Appa there. Maybe those sandbenders went there too." Katara offered, taking a bite of cooked jackalope.

"That's what I'm hoping for."

"Oasis later, food now." Sokka said with a stuffed mouth.


	15. Onward We March

**Legends of the Four Masters****  
**_#15—Onward We March_

Morning came, and in one small corner of the world a trio of men resumed their aimless journey.

"Where exactly are we going?" Ryoga asked, walking alongside the two firebenders. Their current location appeared to be a large ditch on the edge of a desert, with a few sparse trees and lots of cacti along the elevated edges.

"For the most part we have to keep ahead of Azula and whoever she sends at us." Iroh answered while steering the ostrich-horse. "Unfortunately that means we cannot remain in one place for long, for the time being."

"I know that feeling." Ryoga grumbled.

"We can't just spend the rest of our lives wandering aimlessly." Zuko commented.

"We'll stop either when we find a place that she cannot find or when Azula is out of a position of power." Iroh stated as if it was the simplest way to describe the situation.

Zuko frowned. "And we both know how likely either of those are to happen."

"If you guys want that girl off your backs, why not take the fight to her?" Ryoga asked.

Zuko looked directly at the lost boy. "If you knew my sister, you wouldn't say that."

"How bad can she be?"

"I'm ruthless when I have to be, she's ruthless when she's in a good mood." Zuko replied. "If we went to her, the only way we'd get any peace after that would be if we killed her."

"And I take it doing that isn't an option?" Ryoga asked.

Zuko frowned. "If I ever became a kinslayer, not even capturing the Avatar would redeem my honor."

"That doesn't seem to bother your sister does it?" Ryoga asked.

"My sister isn't concerned about honor. She's-"

"Quiet." Iroh interrupted with the ostrich-horse coming to a halt. "Someone's approaching."

The two teens got into stances, awaiting an ambush. Both could hear something, or more than one thing, approaching them.

'It sounds like some kind of animal.' Ryoga thought, familiar with those types of noises after lots of camping in the woods, as well as being a vulnerable lost piglet.

Animals did indeed appear, a group of five Komodo Rhinos each bearing a rider dressed in some kind of armor. Fire Nation judging by the colors. The five men swiftly surrounded the wandering firebenders and each drew a weapon. One drew a flaming bow and arrow, another spun a weighted chain, one held a canister with a wick implying it was an explosive, and another held a simple spear. Surprising, one of them was without weapon, but sported ridged metal armbands.

Zuko and Ryoga kept firm, but Iroh instead smiled. "Colonel Mon Kei? What a surprise. It's been a while hasn't it?"

'Did he just say this guy's name was monkey?' Ryoga asked himself.

"If you're surprised then the Dragon of the West must be more smoke than fire." Mon Kei replied, clanging his armbands together making several sparks.

"You know these guys?" Zuko asked his uncle.

Smiling calmly, Iroh nodded. "Of course. Colonel Mon Kei and the Rough Rhinos are legendary among the Fire Nation Army. Each one is a different kind of weapon specialist. They are also a very capable singing group."

"These guys are a boy band?" Ryoga couldn't help but ask in disbelief.

"More like a barbershop quartet." Iroh corrected. "When you're in the army all the time, you start looking for new ways to relieve stress. They chose making music like how I chose exploring all the teas of the world."

"We're not here to give a concert." Mon Kei declared. "We're here to apprehend fugitives."

"Great, when we see any we'll let you know." Ryoga remarked.

"Nice try."

"Would you like some tea first? I know I'd love some." Iroh offered, then glanced to the soldier with the spear. "How about you Katchi? I get the sense that you're a jasmine kind of man. Am I right?"

The man called Katchi didn't respond, even nonverbally.

"Enough stalling. Round them up." Mon Kei ordered.

The man with the chain acted first, flinging his weapon at Iroh from behind. Iroh quickly spun and deflected the weighted end with a kick, sending it to wrap around the leg of Katchi's Komodo Rhino instead. Then Iroh rolled forward to avoid some firebending from Mon Kei, bringing him to the rear of that same Komodo Rhino. On his feet, he slammed his palm on the animal's hide hard, prompting it to rush forward. It did, taking Katchi and the soldier still holding the chain along with it.

The archer readied a burning arrow and fired it at Zuko. With a downward chop he broke the arrow and simultaneously retaliated with a firebending attack of his own, burning a hole in the bow and damaging the string, making the bow little more than a feeble club right then. Needless to say the archer wasn't so confident anymore.

Feeling the need to defend himself more than anything, Ryoga went towards Mon Kei. The colonel responded by firing fireballs from each fist in rapid succession. Ryoga took the hits, getting some first degree burns and holes in his clothes, but luckily his body was tough enough to withstand much worse than that.

"Whoever you are boy, you threw your life away once you threw your lot in with these two." Mon Kei remarked.

Ryoga panted for a bit and cupped his hands together. "You're making me feel miserable." He warned, a green light glowing around him and condensing in his hands. "Shishi Hokodan!"

Using the projectile variant the lost boy fired a shot of negative chi at his target. Or at least that's what he intended. Instead of chi it was a giant burst of green fire.

"What the-?" Mon Kei asked before he was engulfed by the lime flames. His armor protected him from the worst of it, but it didn't cover all of him. Not to mention that some of the flames hit the Komodo Rhino, making it jump and spin around in burning agony.

"Whoa, you can make colored fire?" Zuko asked.

Ryoga shrugged. "Apparently I can." He turned towards the last Rough Rhino who had lit his wick. Before he could throw it, Ryoga came at him with just one finger pointing. "Bakusai Tenketsu!" He hit the ground and it exploded, pelting them both with rubble. The soldier could withstand the onslaught thanks to his armor, and even the Komodo Rhino was well enough to keep going. However, this explosion distracted the soldier from throwing his grenade, so it exploded in his hand with tremendous force, surrounding him and his ride with dark smoke. His scream of agony was barely heard over the explosion.

"What was that? How can you earthbend?" Zuko asked Ryoga.

"I can't."

Mon Kei showed signs of getting ready to fight again while Iroh dealt with the archer who was trying to use ordinary firebending and not doing a good job at it. Taking the opportunity, Zuko snuck around the back of the colonel's Komodo Rhino and jumped on its back. Mon Kei caught this and moved to strike, with Zuko deflecting two hits with a kick each. On the second kick Zuko got close enough to actually knock Zuko off his mount.

The banished prince jumped and landed next to his latest traveling companion. "You just made the ground explode. If that's not earthbending then what is it?"

"You want my help or my life story right now?" Ryoga asked back. Before either could continue this a Komodo Rhino charged out of the smoke roaring in pain. The right side of its body looked devoid of skin, and the armored soldier atop it was now one arm short. Which made it exceptionally difficult for him to regain control of his ride.

Iroh got the archer with a firebending kick and he fell on his side. Having a clear moment, the old man got back atop the agitated ostrich-horse and commanded it to run. He extended his arm and Zuko caught it, helped onto the back.

"Wait for me! Stay in sight!" Ryoga called out as he tried to run after them.

"It's nice to see old friends." Iroh commented like this had been no big deal.

Zuko snorted. "Too bad you don't have any old friends that don't want to attack you."

Iroh got thoughtful. "Hmm... old friends that don't want to attack me..."

* * *

"Finally, we're out of that desert." Ranma happily exclaimed when the group reached a town called the Sweetgrove Oasis.

Compared to the Misty Palms, Sweetgrove was a booming tourist spot. The buildings weren't in disrepair, the plants weren't wilting, and the people didn't look like they'd rob you in broad daylight if they could.

Toph sighed with relief when she stepped onto the paved walkway. "You're telling me. I don't want to set foot on sand for a long time."

"So now that we're back in civilization, we should get heading on to Ba Sing Se." Sokka started. "But first, we should restock supplies and maybe take a day to relax. One day isn't going to hurt us."

"That sounds perfect." Kasumi said, then looked at her torn outfit. "Do we have enough money on us to get me some new clothes?"

"Right now I'm not sure we have enough to get an apple." Sokka answered, taking out the coin purse he had on him so the sandbenders didn't get it with Appa. He jangled it and there was a faint noise.

Toph sighed. "Relax Mr. Moneybags, as long as we don't go crazy I'll cover the bill today."

Katara blinked. "You brought money with you?"

Toph shook her head. "Nope, but once I show cashiers the crest of the Bei Fong I'm sure they'll be willing to send the bill to my parents."

"Hold on, you could have done that the entire time?" Sokka asked. "Why wait until now to tell us?"

Toph crossed her arms and lightly frowned. "I didn't want you guys to bring me along just so I could cover the expenses."

"We wouldn't have done that." Aang clarified.

"But I must admit knowing that at the beginning would have sweetened the deal." Sokka added.

"Toph, can't your parents trace your whereabouts this way?" Kasumi asked, knowing the same could be said about credit cards in her world. Sure it wasn't the same payment method here, but if the Bei Fong received payment requests it would clue them in to where Toph had been.

"By the time they do we won't be anywhere near this town anymore." The blind girl answered. "Now I'm hungry. Who wants lunch?"

"I'm game." Ranma spoke up.

* * *

With their stomachs full everyone felt a whole lot better.

"I need to check around this town, see if whoever took Appa brought him this way." Aang said when the group started walking again.

"Good idea." Katara said with a nod. "I'll go with you to help out." Aang didn't refuse her offer.

"If it's not too much trouble, I'd still like those new clothes. I'm not sure I can use an apron as a belt forever." Kasumi added.

"I'll handle it." Toph offered. "Though if you need someone to tell you what you look like in anything you'll need someone else."

Kasumi quickly glanced to Shampoo, silently asking the Amazon to be a second opinion while shopping.

"Actually, would it be alright if I had a private talk with Airen for a bit? Something's come up." She asked.

"Like what?" Ranma asked, confused. The purple-haired girl didn't answer, but her eyes showed that this was important to her. "Well, alright then."

"Then I guess Sokka's the only one left." Toph noted.

The Water Tribe boy looked panicked for a bit. "I've got to go clothes shopping with two girls?" He quickly glanced around the area. "Come on, there's got to be some of that cactus around here."

"Ah grow a pair already Sokka. It's not going to kill you." Toph demanded, grabbing his arm and pulling him along. Kasumi shrugged and followed the girl so they could actually find a store.

"I guess we'll see you guys later." Katara said to the others before she and Aang walked away.

"So Shampoo, what did you want to talk about?" Ranma asked.

"Let's find a place to sit first." She suggested, looking around for a bench or wall or something. They had to stroll for a bit to find one, and when they did Shampoo was quick to plant herself on the bench.

"Airen, I think something happened to me before we got here." She started when he sat next to her. "Remember how I acted at the failed wedding?"

"How could I forget?"

The Chinese Amazon had the good grace to look a little ashamed of herself. "The thing is, since then, I haven't figured out why I acted that way. I know what you're thinking, but the thing is, when I first heard about the wedding, I was planning on staying away."

Ranma gave her a skeptical look, but he didn't verbally refute her claim.

"I remember at the time feeling defeated more than anything. I did consider the idea of asking you not to go through with it, but then I thought of something. I imagined what if I was the bride and people were trying to stop you from marrying me. What would make me any better than someone else doing the same?"

'I don't think anyone I know in Nerima has ever asked themselves that question.' Ranma thought. 'Then again, did I?'

"Now this is where things get weird. I remember seeing the invitation and feeling upset, but then all of a sudden my mind blanked and the next thing I know I'm throwing exploding food at the Tendos." She turned her gaze away from him. "Since then, I swear I couldn't figure out why I did that."

Ranma still looked skeptical. "You sure it wasn't just a mood swing or something?"

"Actually that's what I thought at first, but now, I think it was something much worse. Airen, I think Great-grandmother _made_ me do all that."

'Sounds like she's just trying to dodge responsibility.' was Ranma's first thought. "If that's true, then how could you not already know it?"

Shampoo made herself look back at the pigtailed martial artist. "I can remember something now Airen. I'm not sure if it's really real, I probably won't ever know for sure until we get back and I confront Great-grandmother, but I can see myself and her getting into an argument about what to do about the wedding, then her commanding me to stop it before jabbing me in the head. If I'm right, she did to me the same thing I once did to Akane to make her stand on a roller coaster track despite the danger."

That was certainly a memory that Ranma didn't enjoy, and now that he thought about it, it stood to reason that if Shampoo could do that Cologne could too. "Let's say this is true, why do you suddenly remember this now?"

"The cactus juice." She answered, earning a confused look. "Remember the shampoo that returns memories to those that lost them?" He nodded. "One of the active ingredients is Jusendo cactus juice. When the hallucinations were over, my head hurt a lot. Maybe what I drank was close enough to get started on unlocking the memories but not enough on its own to finish the job. Katara using waterbending to soothe my headache must have been the missing piece."

This made sense to Ranma, enough that it didn't seem like she was just making it up. But one part was still unexplained. "So the old ghoul basically commanded you to destroy the wedding and made you forget it was her idea in the first place? In that case Shampoo, why did she have to command you in the first place? Were you really just giving up that day?"

"I don't think I was giving up, but I knew that crashing the wedding was a terrible idea. I think my plan was to wait it out and see if you actually went through with it. But Great-grandmother didn't want to take that chance. I'm now positive she forced me to do what I did. I'm even more positive she's the one who gave me the exploding food."

"I kind of thought you made that." Ranma commented.

She shook her head. "Airen, I'm a good cook, but that's only because I'm good at following a recipe. Without one, I can be as bad as Akane. And even she never made food that exploded. I'm no chemist, the only way I could have made such food was if the recipe specifically intended that result. And frankly who would _want_ such a recipe?"

'Kodachi maybe, but now I wonder how Ucchan got the same thing.' Ranma thought. "Could you have maybe accidentally used gunpowder in the food?"

Shampoo lightly narrowed her eyes. "And where would I have gotten gunpowder?"

Even Ranma knew that guns and via extension gunpowder was not something available for purchase in Nerima, let alone Japan, and why would she have gotten it in China? "Wait, doesn't Mousse have explosives?"

Shampoo herself looked like she had forgotten that detail. "Hmm... yeah he did, at first at least. I don't think he could get more unless he restocked back when we were dealing with the Phoenix. Maybe that's how Great-grandmother got the stuff she needed. But I swear Airen, it wasn't me."

Ranma had to admit it was more likely for Mousse to get explosives than Shampoo, but he didn't admit it out loud.

"You don't believe me." Shampoo said, crestfallen, her eyes dropping back to the ground.

"Hey, it does sound believable when you explain it like this." He tried to say soothingly.

She looked back at him. "I'm not asking if you _can_ believe me. I'm asking if you _do_ believe me." The look in her eyes was pressing, but frightened, like she needed an answer but was afraid of what it would be. "You can't give me a vague answer this time Airen. I need to know, do you trust me?"

Ranma blinked. 'Wow, usually I'm the one asking the girl that, not the other way around.' Visions of times he and Akane had spats with him asking if she trusted him and she responding negatively. Granted in hindsight Ranma could tell now that he did in fact bring up the subject at bad times, such as when chases were going on or during arguments that were already heated up for one reason or another. But at the same time, Ranma was the only one to ever bring the subject up. He couldn't recall a time where Akane, or any of the girls in his life, had asked if he trusted them. It was almost like the girls were under the assumption that they didn't have to earn his trust, they should just have it.

But that wasn't the issue right now. Now he had to think about if he trusted the girl before him, not if she trusted him. And when he thought about it, he had considerably mixed feelings.

"I don't know how much I trust you Shampoo, but I do believe you on this." He answered. "I want to trust you, I do, but it's hard for me to trust anyone lately."

Shampoo put one of her hands on his legs. "It's alright Airen, I understand. With all that happened to you in Nerima, anyone in your position would have a hard time trusting others. But you can trust me when I say that I want to be your friend and I want you to feel comfortable around me."

"Do you trust me?" Ranma couldn't help but ask. It would be unfair to ignore the issue.

Shampoo nodded. "Yes Airen, I do. I know you don't always make the best decisions but no one should expect you to each and every time. Yeah you have lied to me in the past, but I've done the same and I can forgive you for that. Besides, when it comes to trust, I've never believed that it should be based on the absence of lies."

Ranma arched an eyebrow. "Isn't that kind of the definition of trust?"

Shampoo shook her head. "No, that's what a child thinks trust is. The fact is everyone once in a while tells a lie or keeps a secret. That's natural, that's part of being human. To expect someone to never do that is to expect them to not be human. To me, if you trust someone, that means two things. You don't need proof that they're telling you the truth, and you believe that even if they do keep something from you that they aren't doing it to hurt you."

Ranma didn't know how to react to this. The first thing that came to mind was that this philosophy seemed to be the exact opposite of what Akane, hell, what everyone he could name back in Nerima, believed regarding him. Whenever he was accused, whatever the accusation or cause, he was considered guilty until proven innocent to Akane, the Tendos, his father, pretty much everyone of note in his life in Nerima. And whenever he refused to admit guilt, no one gave him the benefit of the doubt. Sure, there were a few times where this didn't happen, and a few people who accused less than others, but this was the standard treatment he got so it was what he recalled first here.

"So when I say I trust you, I'm not saying I believe you're incapable of lying. I'd be expecting too much of you if I did. What I'm saying is that I believe you aren't trying to hurt or manipulate me and you have a reason for not telling me something. I'm not Akane who'd assume the worst. I'm not Nabiki who'd make it a point to make you crack and suffer until you do. I'm me, remember that when you're with me."

Ranma nodded. "Then I guess I really do need to get to know you better so I don't slip into old habits anymore."

Shampoo grinned like she had just won a tournament. "I'd like that. We can start that when we have a legitimate date... when we have the time I mean."

'Usually that sort of thing comes with strings attached.' Ranma thought. 'But you know, I should give her idea of trust a try.'

"For now, let's see what this world has to offer besides bending and bizarre animals."

The Chinese Amazon kept her smile. "You sure? I don't have any Nannichuan packets on me this time."

Ranma took her hand. "I'm not going anywhere this time."

* * *

"Excuse us." Katara said when she and Aang reached one of the stables in the town. It stood to reason that if the sandbenders brought Appa here that this would be the place someone would take him. Either here or a butcher shop, but Aang would go ballistic if he even thought that was the case.

The stables were filled with a number of roadrunner-horses, a desert-dwelling cousin of the ostrich-horse. They were smaller but a lot faster and more reliable in sandy terrain. Most of them were trying to eat some feed in a trough, with a young girl close to Katara's age trying to refill it. She wore a dull red dress that had seen better days. It was dirty and had several patches in it.

The girl looked to the newcomers and quickly got nervous. She made a small squeak and looked away. "He... hello. I'm sorry but my boss isn't here right now."

"We just would like to know if you've gotten any new animals lately. Specifically large ones with horns." Katara politely inquired.

The girl lightly quivered, as if being stared at frightened her a little. "I'm not the right person to ask."

Aang stepped up calmly. "I'm the Avatar, and my sky bison has been stolen. Please tell me if he's been brought here. It would have been in the last day or so."

The girl perked a bit in surprise and looked back at Aang, as if to confirm she was indeed in the presence of the Avatar. "I'm sorry, of course I'll do what I can to help. What was it you're looking for again?"

"A sky bison. It's a big furry animal with horns, a broad tail, and an arrow on its head like this." Katara explained, pointing to Aang'a forehead at the end.

The girl put her finger on her chin and looked up in thought. "I know we got something new not that long ago, but I never actually saw it. I just tend to these guys here." One of the roadrunner-horses squawked, making her stop for a moment. "I think I heard someone say it was big and lots of trouble."

"Where is this animal?" Aang asked, hoping it was Appa.

The girl looked a bit sad to give her answer. "I'm afraid that particular animal is no longer here. There was a customer for it rather quickly. I think it was a circus heading towards Ba Sing Se."

"You sure about that?" Aang asked.

The girl shook her head. "No, I'm not, but you're welcome to look around the stables and ask anyone. That's just what I think I heard."

"Thank you for your help. Sorry to have disturbed you." Katara said politely before she and Aang left, allowing the young lady to return to her work.

Aang sighed softly, looking a little disappointed. "We were too late, he's gone."

"We don't know that for sure. We can still check. Besides, even if he is gone, at least we know where he's going." The Water Tribe girl countered, trying to keep his spirits up.

"How can we get to Ba Sing Se without him? We're not walking that far."

"We'll find a way. Just don't give up before we try."

* * *

"Someone tell me why I'm here again." Sokka asked while leaning against the wall in a store.

"Because I can't tell what Kasumi's clothes look like." Toph answered, standing patiently outside a changing room while Kasumi tried on some new clothes.

"Just for the record, I want it to be very clear that no matter what I say, I was asked to say it." Sokka pointed out.

"Duly noted."

The door to the changing room opened and out came Kasumi, feeling a little shy despite the fact she was not dressed inappropriately. "H... how do I look?"

Sokka looked her over, seeing her dressed in an Earth Kingdom outfit. Not the least bit surprising since this was an Earth Kingdom shop. Her clothes consisted of a moss green tank top and pants the shade of mud mixed with algae. Around her waist was a bright yellow belt tied together at her left hip. The only things from her original attire remaining were her underwear and her shoes and socks, though only her shoes and socks could be seen.

"That's very different compared to what you used to wear." Sokka noted. "But I'll give you one thing, it definitely looks like the clothes of a bender rather than a housekeeper."

"Thanks, that's kind of what I was going for." Kasumi admitted with a soft smile. "I feel kind of exposed though."

"Why? Just because your arms and shoulders are showing?" The Water Tribe boy asked.

"Ooh so scandalous of you. What next? You're going to show the boys your ankles?" Toph added sarcastically.

"Maybe it's missing something. Like a small personal touch." Sokka thought. "Though an apron would be no good."

"Something purple would be nice. It always was my favorite color." Kasumi suggested, then brushed her ponytail. "Or maybe I could do something with my hair."

"Let's not go too far with the makeover here. I'm the one paying the bill for it after all." Toph stated, then shrugged. "Well, technically my folks are, but my point remains."

Kasumi nodded. "Yeah, this should be enough. It fits, doesn't make me stand out, and is comfortable to move in. Just ironic I'm wearing Earth Kingdom clothes when I'm a waterbender. What next? Katara dressed up in Fire Nation clothes?"

Sokka laughed. "Oh yeah, that'll be the day."

* * *

As the sun went down two men had just arrived at the Misty Palms Oasis, looking at the wanted ads on a bulletin board.

"So the Bei Fong girl went into the desert." The fancier dressed of the two men said. "She's practically a goner then."

"She wouldn't go in if she couldn't get out." The gruffier of the two replied.

"Either way, why are we looking at these posters?"

The gruff guy looked around and saw three men in dirty clothes, one of which sporting a very prominent burn mark by his left eye. "There's no need to turn down a little extra money while we're here. Especially if the Bei Fong girl is dead."


	16. The White Lotus Gambit

****Legends of the Four Masters******  
**__#16—The White Lotus Gambit __

"Okay, everyone ready?" Katara asked when the group regrouped that evening by one of the roads leading out of the Sweetgrove Oasis. "I'm loving the new clothes Kasumi."

"Thank you." The older girl said back.

"I almost didn't recognize you when I first saw you." Ranma added. "But it does look good. Almost makes you look like a martial artist."

The older girl blushed at his praise and glanced at her hands, reminded of the life she had before her injury.

"Naw, I'd say she looks like what Toph will look like in ten years or so." Sokka stated, hand on his chin.

"That's still a compliment. Now that we're done talking about my clothes, where do we go now?"

"We have to head east to get to Ba Sing Se, then go north." Katara said, pulling out a map and leading them out of the village on the road. "It's the quickest way, but there's an inland sea in the way. We'll need to find a boat or take this one route called the Serpent's Pass that divides the sea in two."

"A boat would be quicker than walking." Aang remarked.

'I'd suggest swimming, but I get the feeling that except for me that's not really an option.' Ranma thought. "At least we got plenty of time. The eclipse isn't for months right?"

"Yeah, but we also need some of that time to get armies ready and able to get into the Fire Nation. The eclipse will likely only give us a few minutes at best to strike." Sokka pointed out.

Shampoo's eyes widened and she stopped. This prompted the others to do the same. "I just realized something. Something really big."

"What?" Katara asked, curious.

"We know when a solar eclipse will happen and what it will do to firebenders. But do we know _where_ the eclipse is going to be?"

Sokka looked confused. "Uhh... isn't it going to be in the sky?" He pointed up as he said that.

Kasumi caught on to what the Amazon was asking. "No, that's not it. She's right, this is a _big_ problem. Eclipses don't affect the whole world at once. There's no guarantee that the eclipse is going to actually take place where it will affect the Fire Nation. For all we know, it will only affect part of the Earth Kingdom."

Getting it now, Sokka dropped his jaw. "Hold on, are you saying that even if we do get ready for the eclipse that when it happens it might not affect the Fire Nation at all?"

"I think we're going to need a Plan B." Ranma offered.

"Hold on, there's still a chance it might work." Kasumi countered. "Remember, back in our world this is just a story. Granted, this world is not that story, but so far the events do match. So assuming the eclipse is a plot point of the story and you guys would have found out about it even if we never came here, that means the eclipse would _have_ to happen in the Fire Nation, which means the same _should_ happen here."

"So in a way it's predestined?" Aang asked.

"It depends on how you look at reality and destiny, but so far I think it's safe to assume that the eclipse will still work when and where we need it to. Though let's hope no one asks how we can know that part." Kasumi answered.

"Still a Plan B wouldn't hurt." Ranma repeated.

"Let's get to Ba Sing Se first." Sokka said.

"Might as well go over ideas now. By my estimation it'll be a few days until we're anywhere near the inland sea." Katara pointed out.

"That's a long time to travel on foot." Aang grumbled.

* * *

The tavern in Misty Palms Oasis was full of people that night, most enjoying themselves however they chose to. Only a few customers were being quiet and overall unnoticed.

"No one's going to help us. These people look like filthy wanderers." Zuko complained, wearing a straw umbrella hat in an attempt to obscure his identity. Iroh and Ryoga were wearing the same.

"So do we." Iroh replied, then something caught his eye. "Ah, this is interesting."

Zuko looked but didn't see anything that could be called interesting.

"What? People drinking? Yeah, never would have thought to see that in a bar." Ryoga said sarcastically, not seeing what the old man was referring to either.

"I think I found our friend." Iroh got up and went to a lone old man sitting calmly at a Pai Sho table.

"You brought us here to gamble on Pai Sho?" Zuko asked.

"I don't think this is a gamble." His uncle reassured.

On the other side of the tavern the trio was being watched by two men. One was a gruff-looking fellow wearing a vest but no shirt, and was originally employed as a professional wrestler. He certainly looked like he was more at home in the ring than anywhere else. The other was a thin man adorned in fancy robes, and if you believed the advertising he was the best earthbending teacher back in his hometown. He had a look to him that suggested his voice was stronger than his body.

"Let's take them now." Xin Fu, the gruff guy said, standing up only to be stopped by Yu, the fancy guy.

"This place is full of dangerous types. The kind who would love to get involved if they find out we're collecting a bounty. Let us await the right opportunity to apprehend our prize, lest someone here try to fight us for it."

Begrudgingly, Xin Fu agreed to be a little more patient.

Iroh approached the lone old man. "May I have this game?"

The man gave him a set of playing chips. "The guest has the first move."

Iroh sat down and put a tile with a white flower symbol on the very center of the board.

"I see you favor the white lotus gambit." The lone man observed. "Not many still cling to the ancient ways."

"Those who do can always find a friend."

The lone man smiled. "Then let us play."

The two began systematically placing tile after tile on the board. To Ryoga, it was like the most confusing game of Go he'd ever seen. Zuko, more familiar with the rules, still didn't know just what these two were doing since this didn't look like a normal game to him.

After a while it became clear that it indeed was not a normal game. The tiles were arranged to resemble a lotus flower, not a normal outcome in the game.

"Welcome brother. The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets." The lone man said when they both stopped.

"What are you old gasbags talking about?" Zuko asked.

Iroh smirked. "I always told you that Pai Sho is more than just a game." He said while spinning a chip in his fingers.

* * *

"Hey, is that what I think it is?" Kasumi asked, pointing ahead.

"It's a building that's for sure." Sokka said, hand over his eyes as he tried to see ahead. "What's it doing out here?"

"This must be the hotel." Katara said.

Everyone looked to the Water Tribe girl all at once. "What hotel?" Shampoo asked.

"The hotel I told you guys about."

"You never said a word about a hotel." Ranma countered.

"Yeah I did. When we left Sweetgrove Oasis I said I was told about a hotel outside town where we could stay for the night." Katara argued.

Everyone shook their heads.

Katara lost her certain look. "I did tell you guys, right?" They shook their heads again, and she sheepishly laughed. "Sorry, guess I meant to instead."

"Why didn't you say anything Aang?" Sokka asked.

"I wasn't told." He said, turning to Katara. "When did you hear?"

"When I was talking to... oh yeah, you were getting some food at the time. Sorry, I forgot you didn't hear it either."

"Maybe somebody else should be in charge of what direction we're going for a while." Ranma suggested.

Katara frowned and put her hands on her hips. "Hey, it was just one mistake. Besides, we're here aren't we?"

"Hold on, am I expected to pay the bill again?" Toph asked, crossing her arms. "Give me one good reason why I should."

"They have complimentary laundry from what I'm told." Katara answered.

Shampoo sighed loudly in relief. "Oh thank Kami-sama _finally_ a chance to wash my clothes!"

"I agree. I feel like my socks are hardening." Kasumi added, looking at her feet.

"Even I'd like to get my underwear washed." Ranma commented.

"Amen." Shampoo and Kasumi said together.

"Wussies." Toph mocked. "Can't handle a little dirty clothes."

"If we're cleaner, we'll all smell better too." Kasumi added, suspecting that the blind girl had a better sense of smell .

Toph wiped her nose. "You all do smell a little crappy. Alright fine, just one night. But the next day, Twinkles Toes has to spend the whole day with a boulder on his back."

Aang gulped nervously.

"Deal." Shampoo said.

"You traitor." The Avatar accused, making everyone else laugh.

* * *

Out of patience Xin Fu stood up. "I'm not waiting all night for these geezers to finish yapping." Before Yu could stop him, he walked to the table.

"It's over!" Xin Fu announced, drawing the attention of those near the Pai Sho table. "You three fugitives are coming with me!"

Right away, and unexpectedly, the old man who had played Iroh's game stood up and moved beside the bounty hunter, pointing at Iroh. "I knew it. You three are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your head."

"I'm not a criminal! I don't even belong here!" Ryoga stated.

"I thought you said he was going to help us." Zuko hissed.

Iroh looked as calm as ever. "He is. Just watch."

The lone man then faced Xin Fu and Yu. "You think you're going to be the ones to capture them and get all that gold?"

This got the attention of everyone in the tavern. Many of them stepped forward and even drew swords, looking confident that they could seize this opportunity. They did have the numbers advantage after all.

Yu was well aware of that fact and thus less confident about his own chances of winning. "Uhh... maybe we should let this one pass."

'I'd kick this coward in the balls if I thought he actually had any.' Xin Fu thought, disgusted by his partner's lack of courage. At that time, a pair of swordsmen tried to get him since he was the bigger obstacle to them. Unafraid, the professional wrestler did a high kick, knocking them both in the sides and sending them into the walls.

Two men went for Yu instead, seeing that he was the weaker of the duo and unlikely to be supported by the other. The earthbending teacher protected himself by bending the ground to create suction under them, trapping them up to their shoulders and keeping him safe.

During the commotion the old man gestured for Iroh and the two boys to follow him. Iroh and Zuko did, but Ryoga had his eyes on the fighters.

"Ryoga, now's our chance." Iroh told him.

The lost boy shook his head and darted towards Xin Fu. Four other men were doing this at the same time. The wrestler did another hard kick that knocked down two of them, but when he saw Ryoga he simply punched the others in the jaws. The look he gave Ryoga made it clear that Xin Fu wanted to fight him instead of these small fry.

Yu looked around and didn't see the other firebenders. "Where did the others go?"

"Ignore them, I'm your problem now." Ryoga warned, cracking his knuckles.

Xin Fu smirked. "Fine with me." He stomped the ground and made a spire jut out towards his target from an angle. Ryoga punched it and shattered the spire, then did some punches in the air and unleashed a few fireballs. Xin Fu ducked under and the fireballs passed towards Yu, who panicked and jumped aside, quivering a bit when he landed.

'That was normal fire.' Ryoga thought, seeing the traditional red and yellow of flame instead of the green he had made earlier. 'Guess I need to be in the Shishi Hokodan mindset for that to work. I just wonder if it affects the fire besides coloring.'

There was no time to speculate or experiment any further. Ryoga had to focus on the fight. He was confident that the earthbender couldn't hurt him, but was he fast enough to prevent Ryoga from landing a hit on him?

'This guy can't be faster than Ranma.' The lost boy told himself, feeling confident and in the mood to give this guy a surprise. "Bakusai Tenketsu!" He struck the earthen ground of the tavern and like always it exploded, pelting everyone including him with rubble.

This did little to hurt Xin Fu, but it did create the intended result. "What? A firebender that earthbends too?"

"Is this the Avatar in disguise?" Yu asked, holding his arms to shield himself from another attack.

Taking the opportunity, Ryoga removed a few headbands and ignited them before throwing them. Thanks to practicing, this created a few projectiles not unlike burning shuriken. Yu dived under a table to protect himself while Xin Fu swatted them away, taking a few burns and cuts in the process but nothing that would truly stop him.

From behind him there were two large flames that hit the wrestler in the back, and that certainly knocked him down.

"You done yet?" Zuko called out, revealing that it had been him and Iroh that did this surprise attack. They had left the tavern only to go around to the other side and get back in to support Ryoga this way.

Ryoga came to them. "I thought you left without me."

"We're not going to leave you behind." Iroh comforted.

"We will though if you do something this stupid again." Zuko remarked. He eyed Yu under the table watching them, and sent some more fire his way. Yu did some earthbending to put himself underground to avoid the flames, and by the time he came back up the trio was gone.

* * *

The hotel had some vacancies and the group obtained two rooms, one for the men and one for the women. And Katara was right, they did provide laundry service to Kasumi and Shampoo's relief.

"While we wait for our clothes to get cleaned, we might as well enjoy a bath." Katara suggested, having seen a sign that let them know this inn had a hot spring. That would explain the hotel's location out of town.

"You boys wait out here until we're done." Kasumi told them.

Ranma nodded then looked to Aang. "Want to do a flying race?"

Aang smiled for the first time since Appa was taken. "No way you can fly faster than me."

"I'm a quick learner."

The two went outside eagerly, leaving Sokka behind. "Well, I might as well sharpen my boomerang." He said to himself as he went into the boy's hotel room, followed by Momo.

The four girls went to one of the changing rooms and disrobed.

"Wow, your undergarments look so... revealing." Katara said when she saw the underwear of Shampoo and Kasumi. Compared to her own it was rather scandalous, and made the Water Tribe girl feel a little insecure about her own figure.

Shampoo laughed. "Oh this is normal underwear for women where we come from. If you saw the kind that's _supposed_ to be sexy you'd go as blind as Toph."

The aforementioned blind girl laughed a bit. "Hey as long as it covers the stuff it's supposed to cover who cares what it looks like?"

Once all four were naked they donned some complimentary robes to give some cover as well as some towels, then let the hotel service take the clothes to be washed. Once that was done they went outside to the hot spring, which was currently empty.

"Ah, this feels wonderful." Kasumi said when she slipped inside the water.

"I wish they had these back at the South Pole." Katara agreed.

"It's okay I guess." Toph said. "I can easily clean myself with earthbending, so sitting in water just seems unnecessary to me."

"Still, it's really nice." Shampoo said while leaning back. "Hope they have these in Ba Sing Se."

"I'm sure the biggest city in the world has baths." Katara claimed.

* * *

Ryoga, Zuko, and Iroh followed the old man from the tavern into a closed flower shop. "It is an honor to accommodate such a high-ranking member of the White Lotus." The old man said to Iroh with a bow. "Being a grand master, you must know so many secrets."

"What, is this old guy part of some secret club or something?" Ryoga asked.

"It looks like it." Zuko said, then got closer to his uncle. "Now that you've played your game, are you going to do some flower arranging? Or is someone in this 'secret club' going to offer some real help?"

The old man led them to the door of the storage room.

"You must forgive my nephew and his companion. They are not initiated, and both unappreciative of the cryptic or subtle arts." Iroh said to his host.

"Many young people are." The old man said, knocking on the door.

A panel opened and a set of eyes peered out. "Who knocks at the guarded gate?"

"One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries." Iroh answered.

The panel closed and the door opened. The old man went in and Iroh followed. Zuko and Ryoga tried to follow, but were stopped.

"I'm sorry boys, but it's Members Only at this point. Wait here." Iroh told them, then closed the door.

With nothing else to do, Zuko and Ryoga leaned against the wall, neither looking happy about it.

"So if that wasn't earthbending, then what the hell was it?" Zuko asked.

"It's a martial arts move called the Bakusai Tenketsu. Think of it as striking the weak spot in stone to destroy it. Do it right, and you can bring down a whole wall with just one finger."

The banished prince did not look convinced. "That is earthbending."

"Then how could I do it?" Ryoga challenged.

Zuko was silent for a moment, making it look like he was simply sniffing a random flower. "If it really isn't earthbending, then that means anyone can do it? Even me?"

Ryoga nodded. "Yes, and lucky for you I remember the training for it quite well. Oh I don't think I'm ever going to forget that time. When we have a chance, I can teach you."

"Why not now?"

"We need some rope and some boulders to do it the way I was taught. Do you see any here?"

Zuko sighed. "So what do we do until the geezers are done?"

Ryoga could only shrug.

"Hey, what about that green fire you used this morning?"

Ryoga blinked. "What about it?"

"I've only seen one other person in my life that used colored fire, though hers was blue. How can you do it too?"

Ryoga shrugged again. "Honestly I wasn't trying to. At the time I was trying a certain technique called the Shishi Hokodan and I think it might have mixed with firebending to make green fire. But aside from the color, I don't think it's any different than your flame."

"What's a Shishi Hokodan?" Zuko asked curiously.

Ryoga put his hand on his chin. "The best way I can describe it is a sort of firebending move that makes the flame stronger based on negative emotions and insecurities, mainly depression. The worse you feel, the more powerful the attack is."

"Sounds like something I could use with no problem." Zuko muttered to himself, though Ryoga heard it. "And this was what effected your fire?"

Ryoga nodded. "It's not firebending, no more than the Bakusai Tenketsu is earthbending. But it's similar in execution. And no, I can't teach you now because if I did this whole building might go up in flames."

Zuko leaned against the wall. "I'll wait." He then closed his eyes. 'So that green flame was because the bender feels bad about himself. Insecure, not as powerful as he wants to be, desperate. Could that apply to Azula too? Is her fire blue not as a sign of strength, but of weakness? Of insecurity? Of fear?'

The banished prince formed a smile. Finally, he had found his sister's weakness. Her behavior was all an act. Despite how cocky she was, how proud she appeared, deep down she was as afraid as he was of being seen as weak. Maybe even more since her flame reflected her shame while his did not.

Of course, there was also the chance that this was wrong and the blue flame reflected a different aspect of the Fire Nation princess's mentality, but for now Zuko was certain of one thing. Azula was not unbeatable, the way to beat her was to attack her mind rather than her body.

* * *

Done with their baths the girls put on robes and went back to their room, letting Sokka know the hot spring was available for him. Ranma and Aang weren't back yet, but hopefully they'd learn soon enough.

"Hey Kasumi, while we've got some time you sure you don't want me to check over your hands?" Katara asked. All four of the girls were currently sitting down on their provided futons, except for Toph was laying down on hers but not yet asleep.

"Something wrong with your hands?" Shampoo asked the eldest Tendo daughter.

"It's nothing, just an accident that happened when I was a kid and can't ever be fully healed."

"Then it won't get any worse if Sugar Queen tries to treat it now will it?" Toph remarked.

"That's a good point. What do you have to lose Kasumi?" Katara asked.

Glancing at her hands, Kasumi sighed. "Alright, go ahead and give it a try. But don't say I didn't warn you if it doesn't work."

The quiet housekeeper held out her hands and Katara took ordinary water from a bowl and started bending it. She wasn't going to use her North Pole water if she didn't have to, especially since her short encounter with Jeong Jeong had shown ordinary water could heal too if done right.

Water covered Kasumi's hands and wrists and started to glow. Kasumi thought it felt a little numb and tingling, not what she had expected from it.

"I don't think the insides of your hand are scarred, so there is a chance I can heal everything. The bones might not regain their former strength, but you don't need that if you've managed this long without that. If this works, you'll be able to bend without having to stop every minute or so." Katara said while working on healing. The damage was deep, much different than dealing with a cut or bruise, so she had to take it slowly. "But heck, you might actually be able to use your hands to full capacity again anyway. Like the accident never happened."

"That would be nice. While I have gotten some strength back, my hands are the reason it takes me all day to do the housework." Kasumi noted. She could do the chores without problem as long as she worked in intervals.

"That and the rest of your family never gets off their asses to help." Shampoo remarked.

Kasumi looked to the purple-haired girl. "Shampoo!"

"What? Am I wrong?"

"Don't insult my family like that."

Shampoo looked unimpressed. "It's only an insult if I'm wrong. If I'm right, then it's a harsh truth. So which is it?"

Kasumi frowned.

"Try not to be so tense Kasumi. That will affect what I'm doing." Katara warned.

Kasumi took a few soothing breaths and relaxed, though Shampoo was waiting for an answer. "If I had a problem with their choice in helping don't you think I would have told them? They were very helpful after the accident, and once I could I went to doing as much as I could to repay them and to build up my strength again. They are not neglectful."

The Chinese Amazon's expression was unreadable, but clearly not convinced. "So did you ever actually ask them to stop doing housework and let you do it all on your own?"

Kasumi was confused. "What's your point?"

"My point is if you did ask them to step aside and let you do it all then that's one thing. That's them respecting your wishes and helping out when it looks like you're biting off more than you can chew. Nothing really wrong with that. But on the other hand, if you never asked them that, then the only conclusion I can come up with is they're taking advantage of you."

Kasumi frowned but kept from getting agitated. "They are not."

"So you did ask them to let you do all the work?" Shampoo asked.

"... I don't remember for sure anymore. But they're not taking advantage of me."

Shampoo shrugged and laid down on her futon. "Then explain to me how you're not being taken advantage of."

Kasumi chose not to respond.

* * *

Morning came and Iroh finally left the storage room. He could see Zuko and Ryoga asleep, and started clapping to wake them up.

"About damn time. What took you so long?" Zuko asked, yawning and getting up off the floor.

"Well we fell asleep too. We old people can't stay up all night. Iroh said with a laugh, though Zuko and Ryoga just frowned. "But all's taken care of. We will be taken to Ba Sing Se."

"What good will that do?" Ryoga asked, not having a clue about the famous city.

"It's the only place in the world Azula or anyone in the Fire Nation army can't get into. We'll be able to settle down in safety instead of spending each day running and foraging. And we won't be identified. Dozens of immigrants go to the city every day. Three more won't be noticed."

"Won't our firebending give us away?" Ryoga asked.

Iroh shook a finger. "Not if we don't use it."

"How exactly are we supposed to get to Ba Sing Se from here?" Zuko challenged.

"Do you like flowers?" The old man from the tavern asked.

* * *

A young man emerged from the flower shop pulling a cart carrying three large potted plants. But Xin Fu and Yu were not interested in him. They had learned last night that the old man who started the brawl worked here, and was likely in league with the fugitives. Now that Xin Fu's burns were treated, they could get their targets again.

"Where are they?" The tougher of the duo demanded, barging in and breaking down the door.

At the back of the shop, the old man was unintimidated and opened his arms. "As you can see, no one is here but us."

The store did indeed look vacant save for them and a few flowers, but the bounty hunters were not convinced. "How about in here?" Xin Fu said shoving past the old man and opening the door to the storage room. All he saw were more plants, a table, and on the floor a chip with a flower emblem.

Yu picked up the tile. "Some unlucky soul has an incomplete Pai Sho set."

Seething, Xin Fu made a loud frustrated grunt and punched the wall. "We've wasted enough time on this. Let's just get back to finding the girl."

'I'd point out this whole endeavor was entirely his idea if I didn't know what he'd do if I did.' Yu thought, dropping the tile back to the floor.

The two left the shop, and at the same time out of sight the three large potted plants were put in the back of a wagon. Once they started moving, Zuko, Iroh, and Ryoga left the pots and relaxed in the ride.


	17. Uncertainty

****Legends of the Four Masters******  
**__#17—Uncertainty__

"From now on, no more spending my money." Toph said as the group left the hotel heading northeast. "My family's bound to get an idea of where we've been and send someone after me."

"That's why we're not going to be taking the road anymore." Katara said, looking at a map. "Assuming the Bei Fong family gets the bills soon, they'll see we were at the town then at the hotel. I'm sure just by looking at a map they'll figure out where we're going even if we never spend a copper piece again. If we take an off-road route, we have a better chance of not being seen."

"Yeah, that's what we should be worried about." Aang said sarcastically and strained due to already having a boulder his size on his back courtesy of Toph.

The blind girl smiled. "Glad to know you agree Twinkle Toes. So let's get going."

Defeated, Aang sighed. "At least we don't have any mountains along the way."

"Actually..." Katara started.

She didn't need to finish, as Aang yelled out his displeasure loudly.

* * *

"What is that?" Mai asked as she looked up at the hull of a very large vehicle. Easily the largest she had seen that wasn't a ship. "It looks like if a ship and a tank had a baby together."

Azula grinned. "Thank you Mai. I think it's marvelous too."

'I wasn't complimenting it.' Mai thought to herself.

Ty Lee made a disturbed face while looking at the cynic girl. "Gee, thank you Mai for making me think of a ship and tank having sex."

"What do you plan to do with this monstrosity Azula?" Mai asked, ignoring the former circus performer.

"Now that this weapon is finished, I can finish what the Fire Nation started a long time ago. I will conquer Ba Sing Se."

"How are you going to get this there? It might be a little too heavy to carry." Ty Lee asked.

"It's part tank Ty Lee. We'll drive it there."

Mai groaned. "That will take forever. There's no way in hell that thing can move any faster than a turtle-duck."

"Yes speed is sacrificed for strength, but there's no other way to get through that damn wall. So let's get it moving." Azula said.

"Hey, if it's a ship, shouldn't you name it before setting out in it?" Ty Lee asked.

"It's not important."

Ty Lee arched an eyebrow. "That's a weird name. But okay, let's get aboard the Not Important."

Azula groaned and palmed her face.

* * *

The group came to a stop at a place in the mountains where there was a small amount of snow remaining on the tops. It was melting of course into a river that was in the area, but it made Katara and Sokka feel comfortable enough to take a break here.

"You're doing great Kasumi. Much better." The Water Tribe girl said to the housekeeper as she practiced waterbending. This time Kasumi had succeeded in making water hover and rotate in a ring shape for thirty seconds.

"My hands still hurt, but I must say your treatment may be helping." She added while rubbing her hands to soothe the pain.

"Don't forget that bending involves more than just the hands. There's no reason you can't be bending just because of hand injuries. Though I do understand why it hinders you."

"The important thing is I'm recovering." Kasumi said with a smile. "I just hope the effects last back home."

"I don't see why they wouldn't."

"Did you guys ever think you ought to just stay here?" Sokka asked, trying to catch some fish. He didn't see any at the moment, so he risked talking. "Not that I'm saying you should give up or anything, but have you thought about what you'll do if you can't find a way back?"

"Sokka don't be rude." Katara chastised.

"I'm not. I'm just asking about the possibility." He replied. "Think about it, we haven't found anything yet that could help them, and I'm not sure such a thing would be in Ba Sing Se either. If it is then wouldn't someone else have gotten to it by now? Besides, even if they do get a way out of this world, how can they be sure it will take them back to their own? Will they have to find a story book version of their world like they say they did with ours?"

Kasumi blinked, dropping her water as his words sank in. 'He's... he's got a point. Magic does seem a lot more limited in this world compared to our own. Limited to just bending and spirits. What if a way back home just doesn't exist in this world? What if we're truly trapped here for the rest of our lives?'

Images of her family and home flashed through her mind. The times she went shopping in the market. The times she sat down to eat with her family. The times Akane tried to help her in the kitchen. The times Nabiki would converse with her about what was going on. The times Soun would hold her when she cried as a child.

Kasumi felt like crying again. She dropped to her knees and started tearing up, the impact finally hitting her. Her family, her home, her whole life, was potentially gone from her forever.

Katara immediately came up to the older woman and tried to comfort her. "It's okay Kasumi, I'm sure it's not as bad as Sokka says it is." She couldn't resist giving her brother a dirty look at this.

"Hey, it's not my fault we can't help them more." Sokka argued.

"But you didn't have to tell her to give up hope."

Sokka frowned. "I didn't! I just asked if they were aware of the possibility! I mean, c'mon, traveling to other worlds isn't exactly something just anyone can do! Even Aang has a hard time contacting the spirit world! We're talking about sending three people to an entirely different planet! If I'm a bad guy for suggesting they might not be able to pull it off, then so be it! But they should hear it at least once!"

"That's no-" Katara started.

"No Katara." Kasumi quickly said, wiping her eyes and cutting off the Water Tribe girl. "He's right. As much as I want to go home, I have no idea how to make that happen. We even looked in the library and found nothing that could help us."

"Yeah but to be fair the library was huge and most of us did have other things on our minds." Katara mentioned.

"Be that as it may, Sokka's right. This isn't just an indefinite vacation for me and the others. Until we can find a way back, we should at least consider that we're stuck here. After all, it's not like Aang can go back in time and save the Air Nomads can he?"

"Where is Aang by the way?" Sokka asked, looking around.

* * *

"Can I stop now?" Aang asked in a strained way. At the moment Toph was making him bench-press a boulder via earthbending.

"Well I was going to let you stop, but if you have the energy to whine then you can keep going." The blind girl said with a teasing grin.

Aang loudly groaned and Toph laughed in response.

"This can't be part of normal earthbending!" Aang protested. "I bet you can't do it!"

Toph shrugged and quickly separated a large chunk of the ground around her and shaped it like a boulder before proceeded to bench-press it herself. "Earthbenders are physically the strongest benders there are. We have to be, our element is the heaviest. You need to build up your muscles too if you want to do any good in a fight."

"But I need to stay lean for the other three elements." Aang pointed out, taking a break at the moment and relaxing his sore arms.

"I'm not saying bulk up like a wrestler. If you did then yes it'd be hard to use the others. Plus I don't think Sugar Queen would find you that attractive anymore." She grinned a bit at the blush she assumed he was making. "But building up your strength is still important. It'll improve your stamina and your endurance. Don't tell me you've never been hit before in a fight."

The fight with Ranma back in the desert quickly came to the Avatar's mind.

Her point with the boulder made, Toph tossed it aside. The impact made the ground shake for a split second. "You wear no armor, but you make up for it by being hard to hit. A good idea, but if you never learn how to take a hit then one lucky shot will take you down. At least this way you're getting better at withstanding that shot. Unless you'd prefer I throw rocks at you while you can't dodge."

"No, this will do." Aang quickly claimed, sweating a bit at the mental image.

"Good, then start some sit-ups with this on your chest." Toph ordered before bending out a rock the size of a bowling ball. "I'll do some bending to make sure it doesn't roll off or hurt anything extra important for you."

Aang could not contain his groan, but at least she waited until he was on his back before putting it on him.

* * *

While everyone was busy, Ranma and Shampoo were out foraging for edible plants to hopefully go with the fish Sokka would catch.

"I'm just glad the plants in this world are more recognizable than the animals." Ranma commented while selecting some berries.

"Tell me about it. I think those desert foxes were the only normal ones I've seen here." Shampoo replied, kneeling down eyeing a few mushrooms. "Airen, refresh my memory, are these edible?"

He came over to her and had to crouch next to her to get a good look. "I think these ones can be eaten safely but only if cooked. If you eat them raw your stomach will hate you for days."

Shampoo plucked one and looked it over closer. "Maybe we should take a few and see if the others can recognize it any better."

Ranma nodded. "Works for me."

"By the way Airen, you don't have to keep pretending you're not looking at me." Shampoo said with a gentle but somewhat teasing grin.

The pigtailed boy blushed. "I wasn't doing that."

"Sure you weren't." She said while picking a few more mushrooms before standing up and walking away to find other things. As she did she put a little more emphasis on the wiggle of her hips.

'Well, at least she took that better than Akane.' He thought, glad to not be hit for his behavior. The fact was, he actually had been sneaking more and more glances at the purple-haired Chinese Amazon as time went by. He had never spent significant amounts of time around her before, but now that he was he couldn't help noticing a few things about her he hadn't before.

For starters, she was a lot more attractive than he originally thought. Sure he had been aware that Shampoo was good looking, but the fear of being a pervert had prevented him from truly noticing her sex appeal. After spending some time with her, he saw that she wasn't sleazy and willing to strip at any given moment, nor was she disrespectful to his desires. She was being very patient with him.

And it wouldn't be the first time she was patient with him. Back during the episode with the nannichuan packets, all she wanted was a kiss, and he kept her dangling. If she wanted to she could have easily forced her lips onto his. But no, she wanted him to want it too. Then there was the time with the reversal brooch, when Ranma went to her and was about to tell her what he felt for her. He struggled to say anything, but she kept silent and waited for him to do it himself.

Another thing he was noticing was that she was quite nice to talk to now that she had dropped her broken speech habit. It was ironic how she only had that because she didn't want to make another habit. He felt like talking to her was less of a chore. No longer did he have to make an effort to fill in the gaps in her choppy speech. Sure Ranma was never much for conversation, but it was nice having someone to talk to who didn't sound like she needed a translator.

Putting this out of his mind, he went back to foraging.

"Hey Airen, can I ask you something?" Shampoo suddenly asked, keeping her eyes on the job at the moment.

"I suppose. What is it?"

"What is it about Akane that makes you favor her?" She asked, then turned to face him. "No I don't mean to put her down, but there's something I've been wondering. Have you ever seen an anime where a boy has several girls like him all at once?"

Ranma looked confused. "I think I've seen one or two. Never got into them, too close to my personal life if you ask me. But what does this has to do with Akane?"

"Well, in the animes I've noticed, a boy can have several girls want him, and while he thinks of them all as friends, he only ever has eyes for just one girl. But what I've noticed the most is that the 'one girl' always happens to be the first one introduced. So that's what I've been wondering, do you like Akane simply because you saw her first?"

"She's not the first one I saw. I met you and Ucchan before her didn't I?" He challenged.

"You mean your fiancee who you thought was a boy for over ten years? And when I was trying to kill you?" Shampoo asked back. "You met us, but you didn't think of us as options until long after you met Akane. She was your first option, for all intents and purposes she was the first fiancee you met. So please, tell me, other than the fact you met her first just what is it that makes you want to marry her?"

"I don't want to marry her." He insisted. "I'm seventeen years old. I don't want to marry any of you. Why is that a bad thing?"

"Then why do you love Akane?" She pressed.

"I don't love Akane! I-" Ranma started, only to stop himself, and he looked rather shocked to hear his own words. "I mean, I thought I did. After she nearly died because of Saffron. I thought I loved her."

"Did you ever tell her that?" Shampoo asked, more gently this time. She was honestly surprised by his reaction too, but keeping much calmer about it.

"No, once she was alive it... it just didn't seem important anymore." He confessed, only now realizing this fact. "I don't believe it. I thought she died and I would have given anything to get her back, but once she is back..." He trailed off, not wanting to say more.

Shampoo came up to him and took one of his hands in her own. "Airen, do you think that maybe what you really love about Akane is the fact that you get to be her hero?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you feel the same way to Akane when you're just hanging out with her as you do when you're rescuing her from a crisis? How do you feel about Akane when you _don't_ have to be her hero?"

'I... I never thought of it like that.' The young man said to himself. 'Whenever Akane needs me to pull her out of a jam, it seems like everything's all right with us. But when we're not in a jam... well, it's not like we do nothing but fight, but we do get along... don't we?'

"Airen, does Akane make you feel needed?" Shampoo asked.

"Sometimes yes."

"Is that why you like her so much?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, but it is nice to be needed. Besides, it's better than picking her just because she was there first right?"

Shampoo nodded. "Yes, that is better. But Airen, do you want to be needed that way all the time? Remember how you told me you were getting fed up with having nothing but the next fight to look forward to? If you're going to be Akane's hero more than her husband, then the next fight is all you're ever going to have to look forward to."

Ranma blinked, having never thought of that. Helping people did make him feel good, it gave him a sense of worth, of accomplishment. And while he didn't want martial arts to consume his life anymore, he still wanted to do something that made him feel needed by others.

"So what do you suggest? Let's say I did want to get married, what would you say is in my best interest?" He asked, half curious and half testing to see if Shampoo really was thinking about him instead of trying to trick him into picking her.

"Well, you want my honest opinion?" She asked.

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't."

The Chinese Amazon took a moment to compose herself, knowing that this was essentially a 'now or never' kind of moment.

"I wish I could tell you the pros and cons of each choice. I wish it was that easy for you. For all of us. But it's not. In the end, there's only one thing you can truly do to be happy Airen. And that is follow your heart and be with the girl you love, not the girl who's got more to offer or needs you the most."

"But I don't know who I love." He pointed out.

"You can figure it out Airen. I know you can."

* * *

After a while the group left the area and continued on their trek, with Aang forced to keep carrying more weights. All part of improving his earthbending Toph would insist. It was fortunate that no one else was using the same path they were. Less hassle to deal with.

Evening came and they started to set up camp and make dinner. Fortunately they still had provisions from before, so all they needed was whatever meat Sokka wanted. Shampoo had chosen to go along with him, claiming it was in case he got stuck in a crevice again, much to everyone's amusement and Sokka's embarrassment.

"Hey Aang?" Ranma started.

"Yeah Ranma?"

"Can I talk to you in private?"

Aang blinked. "What about?"

"You two aren't going to fight again are you?" Katara asked, a touch of groan in her tone.

"No, I just want to talk." Ranma reassured.

Kasumi looked confused. 'That's not like him, but something must be really bothering him right now.'

"Alright." Aang agreed, then the two boys walked out of hearing range of the others. Momo followed, and neither had reason to make him go away.

"So what's the problem Ranma?" Aang asked when they had enough privacy, the lemur perched on his shoulder.

As usual, Ranma was finding it hard to express himself. "Aang, being the Avatar means you're like a hero to other people right?"

Aang nodded. "Yeah, what of it?"

"How does that make you feel?"

Aang blinked then smiled. "Most of the time it's great."

"So let's say you met a girl you liked and she liked the fact that you could be her hero when she needed it. But when you weren't being her hero she acted like you being there wasn't that important. What would you do?" Ranma asked, being careful to be vague.

Aang lost his smile and scratched his head for a moment. "I suppose that would be like what happened to me on Kyoshi Island. When I got there everyone treated me like a celebrity and was fascinated by what I did. But it didn't take them long to get bored of me showing off my skills, and I even did some more dangerous ones like ride the giant unagi to keep their attention."

"I don't see the connection here." Ranma claimed.

"They all liked me as the Avatar, but they never bothered to get to know me in any other way. And I never really bothered to let them get to know me as Aang. So while they were excited that the Avatar was around, the novelty wore off quickly and they got bored because they didn't need the Avatar. Or me. Sure I entertained them for a while, made things interesting, but when they didn't need that anymore, I had nothing else to offer them."

Ranma thought it over. "So you're saying that a girl who likes a guy as a hero will get bored of him?"

"Is that how Shampoo sees you?" Aang asked.

"What? No, this isn't about Shampoo. It's..." Ranma was hesitant to explain further, but couldn't see a way out of it. "It's about another girl back home I'm close to. I like her and I think she likes me, problem is I don't know what she likes me as or even what I like her as. Shampoo suggested that maybe I just like being needed as her hero and the girl might like that too, but is that really such a bad thing?"

Aang gained a thoughtful look and was silent for a few moments. "I'm probably not the best person to ask for relationship advice Ranma. After all, Air Nomads lived in a gender-split society the whole time I knew them. But if you want my advice, I'd want to be with a girl who liked me even if I wasn't the Avatar. A girl who likes being with me, not just what I can do."

"But don't you like being needed? Even if it's just as the Avatar? Doesn't that make you feel good?" Ranma asked.

"Not really." The bald monk said, surprising the older boy. "I help people because I want to, not because I think I have to. Why would I want to help someone who expects it of me? Like it shouldn't be my choice?"

Ranma blinked twice, these words having an impact on him. Did he help people because he wanted to, or because he felt it was his responsibility to do so? Had he ever helped anyone because he wanted to help, rather than because he felt it was expected of him? No, he knew he had done so in the past, he had helped others of his own free will. He just couldn't recall a specific instance right at this moment.

"The monks at my temple once told me that little in life is actually truly needed." Aang continued. "We lived simply, wishing to avoid shackling ourselves to the earth so we could be as free as the wind. I don't think any adult Air Nomad ever got married, well, maybe some did but not a lot. The point I'm trying to make is that being accepted is better than being needed. Be with the girl that wants you around even if she has nothing for you to do."

"Thanks Aang, I'll think about that." Ranma said semi-dismissingly, sensing that the younger boy wasn't quite sure what to say anymore. It was understandable, Aang was twelve and had far less relationship experience than Ranma did, but he had an unbiased view and that was what Ranma had needed the most here.

"Glad to help. Anything else?"

Ranma shook his head. "No, I think I'll do some katas to clear my head for a moment.

Aang nodded. "Alright, let me know if you want to talk more later." He then turned and left back towards the campground. Momo spared another glance at the pigtailed teen but went off with Aang.

Ranma took a deep breath and slowly began one of the more basic katas of Anything Goes, a routine so familiar to him he could perform it on muscle memory alone. It comforted him to do this, to blow off some steam. And in the process he was doing some airbending without even intending it.

'I know I've helped people before without being forced to.' He told himself, still bothered by this. And as he moved, some memories came to him.

The time he tried to help Ryoga and Akari get together and straighten out the confusion over pigs.

The time he took pity on Happosai for suffering withdrawal symptoms.

The time he ate Akane's cookies just to see her smile.

'There, I can help others without being told to.' He thought proudly. 'I don't let honor or duty make all my decisions for me.'

'So why are you now?'

That strange random thought forced him to stop. The sudden stop caught him off balance and he nearly fell over, but a cushion of air slowed him down and gave him a soft landing.

"What does that mean?" He asked himself, though in the back of his mind he knew exactly what it meant. It was just a shock to suddenly think about it in that light.

Taking a deep breath he got back on his feet. 'The whole reason I talked to Aang in the first place was for advice in dealing with the engagements. I got it, but it didn't sink in until I thought about it like that. I don't want martial arts to consume every aspect of my life, and I don't need honor to make every decision for me. So shouldn't I just this once think about these engagements beyond mere terms of honor? As something other than obligations?'

With that, Ranma went back to his katas, this time with a more focused mind.

* * *

Eventually the group continued on their journey until it was time to make camp for the night. This time they were heading downhill, though there were still plenty of mountain left ahead of them.

"According to this map, we're getting close to a stretch of land called the Serpent's Pass." Katara told everyone as they ate. "It's like a bridge that goes over the inland seas to connect the southern and northern parts of the continent here."

"Better than trying to swim across." Aang commented.

"I've done that before I can do it again." Ranma couldn't help but brag.

"Let's not. We can't all do that Ranma." Kasumi said, looking around like she was looking for something. "Would anyone mind if I had a private bath tonight?"

"I don't mind." Toph said.

"As long as nothing happens. You don't want to be ambushed out here." Katara warned.

"Thanks, I won't be long anyway." Kasumi said before getting up and heading away from the group. She saw upriver there had been this nice little pond off to its side surrounded by trees enough to make it hard for anyone to peep in. Not impossible of course, otherwise she wouldn't have even known there was a pond there in the first place, but enough that it would provide privacy. Flowers were blooming nicely, giving it an appealing lure.

The only way into the pond was through the gaps in the trees where small creeks brought water in from the river and back out into it. She looked around, certain that she was unwatched, and proceeded to take off her clothes.

'I know this won't be as warm as the hotel was, but I still feel like I need a bath. I just can't be comfortable in a shared bath. That's why I never go to a bathhouse, even when Nabiki and Akane do.'

When finished she folded up her clothes and hung them off a branch, then carefully went through the gap in the trees to get to the pond.

She made a short scream when something flashed right at her, and fell down on her rear on the wet ground.

"Wait, you again?"

Kasumi could only blink and blush as she saw the naked body of Zuko already in the pond.


	18. In the Right Direction

****Legends of the Four Masters******  
**__#18—In the Right Direction__

"Zuko?" Kasumi squeaked, trying to cover herself as much as possible. If the ground attempted to swallow her whole right then she would not have protested it in the slightest.

"What are you doing here?" The banished prince asked, embarrassed too about being caught in the nude but hiding it, and his body, better.

"What does it look like I'm doing?! Don't answer that!" Kasumi replied, only to catch herself immediately. She moved behind some trees and grabbed her clothes.

"Are you following me?" Zuko asked, trying to get to his clothes as well.

"If I was following you, would I be so surprised to see you here?" Kasumi asked back, getting dressed as quickly as she could.

"Fair enough." The banished prince said to himself, getting out of the water and using a minor form of firebending to raise the temperature around him just enough to evaporate the water and dry off.

Kasumi felt a little better once she was covered, but she kept herself hidden and tried to slow her racing heartbeat. 'Was this how Akane felt when she walked in on Ranma the first day?'

"So you and I just happened to cross paths by coincidence?" Zuko asked, getting dressed too. "Wait, are you heading to Ba Sing Se?"

"Is that where you're going? Why are you going there?" Kasumi asked back.

"I asked you first."

Kasumi was silent for a bit, trying to think this through. 'He must be going to Ba Sing Se. But if he does, he's going to find Aang. And I don't know if he's still hunting him or not. If he is, then... how does he plan to take down Aang in a place where he's clearly outnumbered? It's not like he can sneak in any Fire Nation soldiers. I'm sure if they could sneak in they'd have done so already. So if he's not after Aang, then why is he going there?'

Zuko could tell her silent meant she was afraid to give anything away. "Listen, I know what you're thinking. I'm not chasing the Avatar now. I'm trying to get away from my sister. I can't go home anymore, even bringing the Avatar back wouldn't do me much good, and Azula would find some way to make it her glory instead. Ba Sing Se is the only chance I have left to have a place in this world."

The episode where Azula tried to trick Zuko and Iroh into going with her back to the Fire Nation to make them suffer under criminal charges surfaced in Kasumi's mind. 'Alright, that is believable. So then he and Aang going to the same city is just a coincidence, one that could only have led to a further plotline in the show. Maybe here I can make things better.'

"You're right, we are heading to Ba Sing Se. We have important information for the Earth King. If you were to help us, I think it would benefit you greatly Zuko."

The banished prince arched an eyebrow. "How could this benefit me?" He asked with curiosity rather than condescension.

Feeling a bit braver, Kasumi started to walk around the spring and towards the firebender. "Well Zuko, you say you can't go home again because your family turned on you right? And if they win this war, they most likely won't let you in on the spoils will they?"

Zuko had to admit that was very realistic.

"So what would happen if the Earth Kingdom won instead?"

"Hmm... I never thought about it." Zuko admitted. "I'm not sure, but I'm positive that my father and sister wouldn't be allowed to stay in control of the Fire Nation. There's no way the Earth Kingdom would allow it."

"But let's say you helped us appeal to the Earth Kingdom. You and your uncle show yourselves as trustworthy rather than warmongering. You establish peaceful terms with your former enemy. Then when the war's over and a new Fire Nation ruler is needed, who's the best choice?"

Zuko's eyes widened at the suggestion. He waited until Kasumi was visible to him to respond. "You... you really think that might work?"

"I can't guarantee it, but it makes sense when you stop and think about it. The Earth Kingdom doesn't want to conquer the Fire Nation, it just wants to keep them from controlling it. When the war's over, the Earth Kingdom will have no problem letting the Fire Nation manage itself, but it will want assurance that the next ruler won't just start the war all over again. Naturally someone who's both knowledgeable about the position as well as already on good terms with the Earth King would be the perfect choice."

Kasumi was amazed at herself for coming up with all this. She was literally making this up as she went, but at the same time just a little logic was creating a very sound case in Zuko's best interests. This was the kind of thing she expected Nabiki to do, not herself. And quite frankly, she was proud to know she could be this clever. It was nice to know she could be great at more than just housework.

'Wow, coming to this world really was the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm breaking out of my shell in ways I never could have back home.'

Zuko had his hand on his chin, thinking hard about this. "I gotta admit I can't really see any holes in this. But this only works if the Earth Kingdom wins and I do manage to get on good terms with them."

"Would that really be such a bad thing Zuko?" Kasumi asked. "Is being the Fire Lord not worth it unless the Fire Nation wins?"

"Wait, if this happens, then I'll be seen as a traitor. My people would say I stole the throne and am a puppet of the Earth Kingdom. They'd never accept me." Zuko claimed, having now spotted a hole in the proposal.

Kasumi had to think that one over a bit too. "What if you appeal to the people first? What if before you take the throne, you help people around the Fire Nation and get a reputation as a benefactor? Then when you do have the chance to take the throne, the people will support you in charge because they'll already like you."

Zuko gave the oldest Tendo girl a dry look. "You want me to run around a country where I'm a wanted criminal drawing attention to myself and trying to make the current Fire Lord look like a bad guy while doing it?"

Kasumi didn't respond right away. "I admit it's not a perfect solution, but do you have a better idea?"

Zuko had to admit he did not. Aside from being accepted by his family again, which meant screwing over the Earth Kingdom and making the quiet housekeeper's offer entirely moot.

"No one is beloved right away Zuko, not even kings. No matter what you choose to do, once you do take the throne there will be some people who believe you never should have gotten it. But if you help us, and let us help you, then when all this is over, people will have more reason to want you in charge than in prison."

Zuko didn't look convinced. "And why would you help me?"

"Because you're not the bad guy." She answered simply. "So ask yourself just who are you trying to prove that to? Your family, or yourself?"

Zuko looked at her, then looked away with closed eyes like he was fighting off thoughts he didn't want to have. "You know, you irritate me as much as the Avatar and his friends do."

'That might be the first time anyone has ever said I irritate them.' Kasumi thought. "Then why do I get the feeling you don't disagree with me?" She added mostly to test him.

He sighed then started walking away. "We're bound to see each other again in Ba Sing Se. When we do, you'll have your answer."

Kasumi watched him leave, making no effort to stop him. When he was gone, she went back to her own group.

"That was a quick bath." Katara noted.

"There was something else in the water, made me want to get out." Kasumi claimed, telling the truth but not going into details.

"Like what, a snake?" Sokka asked.

"Something like that."

* * *

"That wasn't long." Iroh said when he saw his nephew return.

"We're in a hurry aren't we? We need to get to Ba Sing Se. I can't afford to take long baths like you." Zuko replied hastefully, climbing back on the wagon. Now that they were essentially in the clear, they no longer had to hide in flower pots. Something they were all grateful for.

"Well then it's our turn now." Ryoga said, not minding sharing a bath since that was normal back home, but Zuko had practically demanded privacy.

"If we keep going, we'll get to Ba Sing Se sooner and then we can have indoor baths again." The banished prince argued. "I hope." He added under his breath.

"Hey don't tell us we can't have our turns." Ryoga said back, going off with Iroh since if he went off alone he'd surely get lost.

Zuko closed his eyes. 'Damn, I just hope she's not there when they get to the spring.'

Fortune was on Zuko's side, as the spring was empty when the two men got there. Ryoga took a bath completely unaware that Ranma was but several dozen meters away from him right then.

* * *

During the night Ranma was feeling a little restless, which he knew meant something. Everyone back in Nerima joked that he could sleep through a storm, in fact anything other than water hurled on him, and they were pretty much right. All the things Ranma usually had to put up with each day was exhausting and sleep was his only guarantee of peace. So when he couldn't sleep, it could only mean one thing.

Ranma had unfinished business.

The worst part was he knew just what that unfinished business was, but he didn't know what to do about it. Needing some space, and seeing no reason to toss and turn trying to force himself to sleep, he got up quiet and walked off, taking his airbender staff with him in case he felt like flying.

'I just don't get it, what is Shampoo to me anymore?' He asked himself. 'Back home I knew just what she was, another fiancee I didn't want. But if I don't know what Akane is to me anymore, how can I be sure I know what Shampoo is?'

He started walking up the slope of a small peak, intending to use the altitude to get a better start at flying. 'If I don't love Akane, then what is she to me?' Images of Akane that he associated with positive emotions came to him. There was the time after Ryugenzawa when she didn't protest him holding her hand. There was the time in the school play when she looked ready to be kissed. There was the time she looked up at him when she came back from the brink of death at Jusendo. There was the time she thanked him for giving her the antidote to the super soba despite her bad attitude to it originally.

These and more were the times Ranma felt like he and Akane had a connection. Times when she had allowed him to be supportive rather than assert her independence. Times... she had been vulnerable, and needed him.

'I... I'm starting to think Shampoo might be right. I care about Akane, but... not like how I should care about a girl I'd marry. I think, if anything, I just feel responsible for her. I need to keep her safe. Like how a brother watches out for his sister.'

This thought depressed him. He knew he thought of Nabiki and Kasumi as the sisters he never had, but it seems that on some level of his mind he thought of Akane in the same way.

'I'll never know for sure unless I get home and spend time with her again. While I'm here, it doesn't really matter. Loving her while I can't get to her would make me just like Ryoga, who I swear only likes Akane because he's built her up to be a second Kasumi in his mind. I don't want to do the same, love what I want Akane to be. So until we all get back, Akane isn't my fiancee.'

Which of course brought up another concern.

'So then, what about Shampoo?' He asked when he got to the top of the peak and opened his glider. 'We're still together, and I have to admit I'm liking her being here. But is she like a sister too?' He took to the air with a little airbending, and enjoyed the view of the ground below him. 'No, she's definitely not. I know Kasumi, Ucchan, and Nabiki basically are, but Shampoo is definitely not another sister. So... what is she?'

Trying the same thing he had done moments ago with Akane, Ranma let himself think of times he thought of Shampoo in positive terms. There was the time she helped him defeat her great-grandmother, knowing full well such a thing would have made things harder for her in the long run. He remembered the date they had gone on, and he was a complete jerk to someone who just wanted to spend time with him. It wasn't like she was going to deny him the instant nannichuan powder.

'That was really low. I mean, yeah the thing with the dojo destroyer was on my mind, but I wasn't thinking about that when I wanted the packets. I just wanted to take my end of the deal and cheat her out of her end. That's the kind of thing I'd expect Pop or Happosai to do, not me. Kami-sama I was such an ass to her. How can she love me?'

Out of all his fiancees, Shampoo's feelings were the most obvious. Akane was unclear, with her appearing to be circumstantial at times. Ukyo clearly liked him, but she always seemed to be doing her own thing. In all honesty it seemed like she wanted him to be a part of her life more than she wanted to be part of his life. But Shampoo, he knew full well she loved him. There was just no denying it.

When Maomolin cursed her to become a cat, only the kiss of the man she loved would free her. And that man was him.

When the reversal jewel turned her love into hate, it was tremendous. If her love was not real, then her hate wouldn't have been either.

The reversal jewel incident, or rather the aftermath, where Cologne had confessed to him and Shampoo just what she had been up to, had been the primary reveal to Ranma regarding Shampoo's feelings. For a long time he had thought that her interest in him was purely circumstantial, and if Cologne had ever revoked the Kiss of Marriage then Shampoo's affections would have gone away with it. But if the jewel worked as she told, and given how it affected Akane he had no real room to argue, and Shampoo had been unaware it was even influencing her, then that meant only one thing. Shampoo did indeed love him, and in the way a marriage could be built on.

The problem was knowing this scared Ranma. It had been easy to ignore Shampoo when he thought she was at best crushing on him. But if she honestly loved him, then what was he supposed to do? He wasn't ready or willing to return her feelings at the time, but knew that if he rejected her he'd be both breaking her heart and dishonoring her. Each on it's own was bad enough, but both at the same time... he'd be unable to live with himself.

The beating he had suffered after the jewel was taken off Akane, one of the few times he had to go to the hospital in fact, had apparently been a blessing in disguise. With it, Ranma had been given time to delay acting on Shampoo's feelings, and the purple-haired girl had shown patience instead of hounding him, again. He had needed some more time to work on his feelings.

'No, I didn't.' Ranma rued, flying around in circles at this point to practice gliding. Like most things he had gotten the hang of what he was practicing quickly, but even quick learners need to practice. 'I may have said I needed more time, but I wasn't using it. I wasn't working on my feelings, I was running away from them. I wasn't ready because I didn't want to be ready. I can't even use the other engagements as an excuse. Heh, Ranma Saotome, able to fight off anything and everything, yet runs away in panic if a girl loves him. Bet Mom would just love to hear that.'

His mind went silent for a bit and he decided to land, touching ground not that far from the spring where Kasumi and Zuko had their unexpected reunion. 'Dammit, I need to stop running away from this. I've faced every threat a martial artist can face, I can handle something like emotions. I may not know what Shampoo is to me, but I'm never going to know if I keep ignoring the issue.'

There was a soft sound in the air which drew his attention. At first he thought it was a songbird, but it was too late for that to be likely. There was also some splashing, and having lived with a Jusenkyo curse Ranma was quite familiar with the sound of water.

'It sounds like a person. But who else would be up this late?' He asked, carefully moving closer.

Taking cover under some branches, Ranma looked out into the spring, surprised by what he saw. There was Shampoo, naked and swimming slowly on her back, singing something in Chinese. He couldn't understand a word, but it sounded soothing, like a lullaby.

Normally Ranma would bolt as carefully as he could, praying that he wouldn't be attacked for this. And yet, he couldn't bring himself to leave.

'Holy crap, she sings beautifully.' He thought, entranced.

Music had surprisingly been a rarity for Ranma growing up. It wasn't like Genma carried a radio or anything when they traveled, and even when they had briefly settled down in some spots, Ranma barely ever had the chance to hear any songs. Festivals and karaoke had been things Genma typically avoided unless others paid for them, and an all boys school generally thought music consisted of guys shouting while trying to be loud on guitars. If he didn't know any better Ranma would have sworn they were trying to invent a new martial arts based on sound attacks meant to induce headaches.

Ranma didn't have a favorite song or music style, he didn't know enough to have one, but right now he knew one thing. Shampoo was his favorite singer.

He hid there, listening to her song even though he didn't understand a word of it. He knew he should have left her to her privacy, but he wanted to hear her sing. Plus if there was just one girl in the world, any world, that wouldn't mind Ranma seeing them naked, it was Shampoo.

After a while the song ended and Shampoo just floated there, then turned and got to the shore to dry off. Ranma was surprised to see how sad she looked at this point. She said something in Chinese, something that sounded as sad as she looked.

'Talk to her.' Ranma thought, though he did think it might be a bad idea. 'She's out here alone, she wants some privacy... which I've already ruined. But she's practically crying, what can I do to... damn it Ranma, you just said you were going to stop running away from this sort of thing. Be a man and at least give her a shoulder to cry on.'

The pigtailed teen moved as silently as he could without resorting to the Umisenken to get around the Chinese Amazon. This would go a lot better if she didn't have reason to believe he had been spying on her.

"Shampoo?" He called out, far enough that she couldn't see him.

Hearing her name, Shampoo tensed, covered herself with her towel, and looked around before she recognized the voice. "Airen? What are you doing up so late?"

"I couldn't sleep, and saw you weren't sleeping either and got worried." He covered, emphasizing his footsteps by snapping twigs to let her know he was coming her way.

Rather than get dressed while still wet, Shampoo stayed there covered in her towel. She knew he'd be uncomfortable to see her naked, and she didn't feel like telling him to wait. She saw him appear and just stand there. "I kind of needed some me time."

"And you went swimming? At night?" He asked.

She nodded. "It's not like I've never done that before. I liked to go swimming, before Jusenkyo." She then thought of something. "Airen, you didn't just get here did you? How long were you watching?"

Ranma was surprised she could figure this out, but saw no reason to lie. "I heard you singing... and saw you naked for a bit." He scratched the back of his head at that but kept ready to defend himself if she reacted badly. "You sounded... sad. Are you?"

Shampoo looked down a bit, not looking happy but at least she didn't look angry. "I... I was feeling a little homesick, but I was thinking about my father the most."

"Your father?" Ranma asked. 'I've never heard anything about any of her family except the old ghoul, but then again I never asked.'

Shampoo nodded. "I worry about him all the time. He took Mom's death really hard. If we never get back home, I don't know what he'd do."

Ranma took a chance and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. It did help her a bit, she leaned against him and relaxed, but she was still mellow. "What happened to your mom?" He asked, hoping this wasn't going to hurt her.

Shampoo took a deep breath. "She killed herself."

"What?" Ranma asked, shocked.

Shampoo sadly nodded. "Dad keeps telling me she got attacked by an animal, but I know the truth. She took her own life, when I was a kid."

"But why?" Ranma couldn't help but ask.

"My mom was a great Amazon, at least that's what everyone tells me. Not the best, but good enough to be a champion. My dad was smitten with her, he wasn't part of the tribe but he did live in a town nearby where we occasionally get supplies. One day he and Mom had a fight, and he actually won. He swears he just got lucky, but he knew the law and what had to happen."

"Your mom had to marry him." Ranma clarified.

Shampoo nodded but didn't look at him. "Yes, but she didn't want to. She didn't like him like that. But she knew her duty and he wasn't against it, so they got married. Dad did what he could to make it easier for her, and Mom tried to make things work. But, she just never let herself try to love him. She tolerated him, but she didn't want to love him."

Ranma blinked, feeling like this could easily happen to him in some way. Or rather, it was something he was already doing.

"Mom tried to look happy, but even as a kid I could tell she didn't love Dad. I remember her accusing him of cheating in that fight more than once. Mom never hit or yelled at Dad, but we both knew she didn't want to be his wife. After a while she must have gotten tired of it all and went off into the woods. Her body was found, I wasn't allowed to see it, and Dad told me a bear or something must have caught her off guard. But deep down I knew he was lying. When I got older, I understood why. Mom killed herself to escape him."

'Holy crap.' Ranma thought, shocked that the normally bubbly and smiling purple-haired woman beside him had such a dark past.

"Dad since then has blamed himself, thinking he should have just let her win all those years ago. He's been so down, I don't think he's done so much as a kata since then. It's one of the reasons Great-grandmother has been my primary guardian. He's still in China right now, waiting for me to come home, praying that you and I don't suffer the same fate."

Shampoo then looked at her intended. "That's why I'm usually so flirty with you Airen. I know it makes you a little uncomfortable, but I don't want you to feel unwanted. My mom could have at least cooperated with Dad, show some appreciation for his efforts even if she didn't return his affections. When I lost to you, the last thing I wanted to do was what she did."

"So what did you want?" He asked, mostly to hear her side of their past in her own words.

"I wanted to give you a chance. I wanted to believe you were someone I could grow to love. That way if we didn't work out, I could at least say I gave it a try. Why do you think I came back after I left you the first time?"

"I assumed it was now that you had a curse of your own you wanted to see if I really was a boy."

"Yeah that was part of it, but do you think that was it? I had already gotten my punishment for failing my quest, it wasn't like I had to come back for you. So why would I come back to Japan, confirm your gender, and start it all over again?"

Ranma wasn't sure what to say. His first thought was the answer he had already given, the fact that her own curse would make her question the validity of his true gender. But she had already admitted that wasn't the only reason. So what else was there to motivate her? The only options that made any sense to him was a sense of duty... or a sense of hope.

As for which one it was, the memory of how heartbroken the purple-haired girl had looked when Ranma told her she was a girl and the memory of how happy she was to see he was really a man made one option more likely than the other.

"You came back because you were hoping I was a boy." He stated. "You were actually hoping for another chance to be with me?"

Shampoo nodded with a smile. "I wanted to see if we could work. I knew that our tradition of finding husbands outside the village had to be there for a reason. We wouldn't be doing it if it didn't work. I believe that what happened to my parents was one of the times when it doesn't work. I believe the gods brought us together for a reason, and it wasn't to be unhappy."

"You think we were destined to meet each other?" He asked.

"To be fair, that could be said about the other girls too. But can you blame me for being a little hopeful and biased?" She asked back.

"I suppose I can't." He replied, then took a deep breath. "Shampoo, I'd be the first to admit that I don't know what to do when it comes to love... but I'm tired of avoiding the issue. I'll never know what to do if I don't try and learn. That'd be like refusing to practice yet expecting to master a new move. I'm going to need help though, so... Shampoo, can you teach me how to love?"

In that moment, the Chinese Amazon's heart practically exploded with joy. This was the best opportunity she could have ever asked for, being presented to her on a silver platter. But of course, such an opportunity had to be handled carefully. She had to make sure she didn't blow it, or else she'd doom her own chance with him before she truly had it.

"I'd be honored, Airen."

* * *

The next morning every woke up and sat around to breakfast. This time Kasumi tried contributing to the cooking again, mostly because she wanted to help with it.

"Okay, so we're going to the Serpent's Pass right?" Katara asked, looking at the map.

"Is there any other way to where we need to go?" Ranma asked.

"Not unless we can somehow get a boat, but since we have to walk to the bay anyway why not walk through the Serpent's Pass?"

"How much walking is that?" Aang asked, bothered by it all.

Katara studied the map. "Hmm... counting the pass itself, I'd say about five days to get to Ba Sing Se from here, give or take."

Aang hung his head. "Five more days of walking?" He then sighed. "If only Appa was here..."

An uncomfortable silence hit the group after that. Not even Toph wanted to break it.

"Speaking of Ba Sing Se, there's something we need to discuss." Kasumi said, taking the risk none of them were willing to. All eyes were on her, except for Toph but she at least looked towards the quiet housekeeper. "First, I want to thank you all for escorting the three of us to the city and getting us out of danger here."

"No sweat, besides you guys did make things a little more interesting." Sokka replied.

"But what I was wondering was when we do get to Ba Sing Se, what do we do then? We'll be safe and you guys won't need us to talk to the Earth King. Where do we separate?"

Silence swept over the group again, but this time not to be uncomfortable. Everyone looked at each other, wondering this themselves, and no one getting an answer.

"Why would we have to separate?" Toph asked.

"Because you guys are trying to end a war and we're trying to get home." Kasumi answered.

Toph shrugged. "You're not in any hurry to get home are you? Besides, with you guys with us, we have a better chance at winning this war."

"How do you figure?" Ranma asked.

"Glad you asked Airhead. For starters, with you we have two airbenders instead of just one. That alone gives us an advantage."

"Uhh Toph, the Fire Nation wiped out the airbenders long ago. I don't think two is too much for them to handle." Sokka pointed out.

"But they're only expecting one, in fact, they're counting on it. If there are two airbenders out there, don't you think that will throw them off?"

"Maybe, but not enough to be an advantage on its own."

"Actually, I think for the time being we can't get home anyway. Even if we did have the way to." Ranma cut in.

"What do you mean Ranma?" Kasumi asked.

"Don't you remember that the three of us weren't the only ones to come here?" He asked.

Kasumi and Shampoo thought about it, not getting the reference, but then it hit them. "Ryoga?" Kasumi asked, just to be certain.

Ranma nodded. "He's here too. I don't know where and I don't know when we'll see him again, but we can't go home without him. You want to leave him stranded in this world away from all his old friends and family?"

"No, you're right. We can't go home without him." Kasumi agreed.

"I completely forgot about him." Shampoo admitted. "So until we find him, we might as well stick with you guys and help you out?"

"Why not? What else are you three going to do?" Toph asked.

"You have a point." Kasumi said. "I wonder where Ryoga is now anyway."

* * *

"When exactly does this game get fun?" Ryoga asked as he passed the time riding the wagon playing a game of Pai Sho with Iroh as Zuko sat away on his own.

"Don't be so impatient my boy. You'll see when you get the hang of it." Iroh replied, putting a tile on the board.


	19. Honor or Obligation?

****Legends of the Four Masters******  
**__#19—Honor or Obligation?__

Traveling for the group so far was going better than anticipated. Katara had based her estimation on the idea that more to the group along with no Appa would slow them down, but that did not seem to be the case. Ranma and Shampoo had no problem walking the majority of the day, and surprisingly Kasumi held her own as well.

"I spend all day moving around the house with the occasional stroll into town. I'm no stranger to being on my feet all day." She explained when it was brought up.

Aang was probably the slowest out of the whole group, but the routine exercise this was forcing him to undergo was helping to build up his legs. Though once in a while he took to the air to scope out what was ahead for them.

Katara had them stop by a river, several of them having growling stomachs. "Looks like a storm's coming." She told everyone, looking up at the sky which was getting really cloudy.

Ranma leaned closer to Shampoo. "Nice not having to worry about being out in the rain for once, isn't it?" She nodded.

"Hopefully this one won't be as bad as the storm that got you and Sokka sick, right Katara?" Kasumi asked. "I don't think you want to suck on more frozen frogs."

Katara and Sokka looked disgusted by the memory, though Ranma and Shampoo looked confused.

"Suck on... frozen frogs?" Shampoo repeated.

"A medicine woman told me it would help them get better." Aang clarified.

Shampoo looked like she was suppressing her gag reflex. "I think I'd rather be sick."

"Let's take a break while the weather's still good and do some fishing. Aang you can go get what you want to eat and maybe find us some shelter. Ranma, could you get us some firewood?"

Ranma nodded. "No problem."

"Mind if I lend you a hand?" Kasumi asked him.

"Ummm... sure?" He responded, uncertain. For a while it felt like Kasumi had been watching him, and it had been making him a little uncomfortable.

"I'll help with fishing." Shampoo offered, taking one of Sokka's fishing rods.

"What about me?" Toph asked.

Shampoo held her another one, tapping the blind girl with the end. "You don't need eyes to fish Toph."

Toph sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. But don't expect much from me."

Four of them cast their lures while Aang took to the air, then Ranma and Kasumi went into the woods. Ranma kept quiet, trying to gather some kindling he could find.

"Ranma, we have to talk." Kasumi started, keeping her voice down but not whispered.

"And we need to do it where no one else can hear it?" He asked.

"Ranma, just what was the meaning of this morning?" She asked, trying to sound nonjudgmental.

Ranma looked at her. "What? So Shampoo slept next to me during the night. She's been doing that most nights since we got here."

"She was cuddled right next to you." Kasumi corrected, a disapproving look on her face.

Ranma shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time. The first night she found out I was a guy she snuck in and did that. I was just as surprised as Akane."

"You sure didn't look surprised this time." Kasumi added, remembering how when she woke up she saw Shampoo using Ranma as a body pillow and enjoying herself, then when the two woke up Ranma had little to no reaction to it. Normally the pigtailed young man would panic and scramble to get away without being noticed, not act like sleeping next to a girl was routine for him.

Ranma shrugged again. "Like I said, it wasn't the first time and she's been sleeping close to me a lot lately. Am I supposed to be surprised by all this?"

"You're supposed to not be encouraging her."

"I'm not encouraging her."

"Well you're not exactly discouraging her now are you?"

Ranma frowned a bit and crossed his arms, despite some twigs still held in his hands. "Tell me Kasumi, what is it you're afraid of?"

Kasumi arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean Ranma?"

"You're telling me to distance myself from Shampoo, so why? Are you afraid that she's going to do something to me?" He paused for a bit, a new thought coming to him. "Or... are you afraid that _I'm_ going to do something to _her_?"

"I'm not afraid Ranma. I just don't want you to give Shampoo ideas. What would Akane say?"

"Akane isn't here."

Kasumi frowned and pointed at him. "So because she's not here it's okay to forget about her?"

Ranma laughed. "Oh please, is _that_ what you're worried about? Kasumi, I'd need a lobotomy to forget Akane."

"Or Shampoo using that shampoo again to make you forget her." The quiet housekeeper pointed out.

Ranma lost any humor and just frowned at her. "You really think she'd do that? Kasumi, if she was going to, she would have already had plenty of opportunities. Besides, with what her grandma did to her, I think that would be the last thing she'd do right now."

"What are you talking about?"

"Remember what she did at the wedding? Well she does too, but she didn't remember _why_ she did that. But thanks to Katara healing her cactus juice headache, she remembers now. The old ghoul controlled her, forced her to do all that, then made her forget it was her idea in the first place."

Kasumi did not look convinced. "Can you be sure she's telling the truth?"

"I see no reason to believe she's lying."

The wind started picking up and the sunlight was getting dimmer. Both could tell that the storm was getting closer.

"Let's not talk about this now." Ranma said, picking up some more kindling. She did the same. "Kasumi, I know that you have nothing but good intentions right now. But I don't think those good intentions were made with me in mind."

"Weren't you the one to say we shouldn't talk about this now?" She asked.

"Yes, but before we talk again, I just want you to ask yourself one thing. Do you really know what will make me happy?"

Kasumi didn't know what to say to that, so she said nothing, just foraging for branches. Her hands were notably getting better, but she still held the gathered twigs in the crook of her arm due to the ingrained habit. She saw Ranma break off some branches from the trees too, which she admitted was not a bad idea.

As he gathered the branches, he stopped and sniffed the air, looking surprisingly repulsed. "You smell that?"

Kasumi sniffed the air a few times herself, smelling something not pleasant. "Now that you mention it, yes. What could it be?"

Ranma looked around the area, starting with the ground, but saw nothing. He looked around again, this time a little higher, and stopped when he looked up one of the trees. "Kasumi, no sudden moves." He whispered.

Slowly and nervously, her eyes followed his, and in the trees she saw the culprit. It was three animals in the branches, ones that looked a lot like a skunk, but were the size of a squirrel. And they were making these weird noises that sounded like chirps and hisses at the same time.

"We should walk away slowly, to not spook them." He added, and she nodded. They started going backwards a bit so they could keep their eyes on the critters.

"What if there are more?" Kasumi asked, hoping there weren't more behind her.

Ranma glanced behind himself, seeing nothing but not convinced none were there. "Just keep going slowly." So far the skunk-squirrels were not following them, so they felt a little better about turning around and walking normally. After they got a safe distance, they sped up a bit, not relaxing until they were away from the trees.

"Whoa, what's got you two so worked up?" Sokka asked as he saw them come back in a rush. He meanwhile was wrapping up some fish with a spare cloth to keep any animals from smelling them and getting ideas.

"Just some things in the trees." Ranma answered. "Things worth getting away from."

* * *

Night came and the group hunkered down in the dome, riding out the storm. Rain could be heard dancing on the stone outside, made more audible by the carefully placed air holes put in to allow smoke from the campfire to leave the dome so they wouldn't choke to death on it.

Around midnight Kasumi stirred awake, shivering a bit. She had to scoot closer to the fire and still felt chilly, but right now she had another concern on her mind. She got up and with the light from the fire she saw Shampoo sleeping next to Ranma again, looking quite comfortable. She went to the purple-haired girl and lightly shook her.

Shampoo of course slowly woke up. "Huh... what...? Kasumi?" She said as her eyes adjusted.

"Can you make an opening? I need to go outside for a moment." The quiet housekeeper whispered.

Still a little drowsy, Shampoo didn't question this and got up to do a little earthbending, making a door appear in the curved wall. The rain was visible despite the darkness, reflecting moonlight, but there was no thunder or lightning and little wind. Seeing no way to avoid getting wet, Kasumi took a deep breath and went outside, trying to rush. Shampoo followed and earthbended the door closed, a little more alert now.

"Hey, don't go too far!" Shampoo called out, seeing Kasumi rush off into the woods. Sure Kasumi was likely just relieving herself, after all why else would she be out in the woods in the middle of night during a rainstorm, but she should stay near the campsite.

She got no response, which bothered Shampoo, and prompted her to go after the older woman. "Kasumi? If you can hear me please say something."

"I'm right here Shampoo." Kasumi called back, but couldn't be seen. "But I'm kind of busy right now if you don't mind."

"Oh I know that. But you don't expect me to just..." Shampoo paused to release a stubborn yawn. "Just leave you out here do you?"

There was no response, but that didn't bother the Chinese Amazon. Kasumi most likely just didn't want to be talking at the moment. So she waited, keeping a guard.

"I'm done." Kasumi called out a few minutes later. "But since you're awake, can we talk in private?"

Shampoo thought this was a bit of a weird request, but saw no reason to refuse the older girl and walked towards the sound of her voice. Force of habit compelled her to stay under cover from the rain, slowing her down slightly, but she met up with Kasumi in a reasonably dry place.

"What do you want to talk about?" She asked.

"I don't know how else to say this so I'm just going to be direct about it. I want you to stop encouraging Ranma to be unfaithful to Akane."

Shampoo narrowed her eyes. "No."

Kasumi blinked, not entirely surprised by this but not expecting her to be so blunt about it. "Shampoo, please be reasonable."

"Your request is unreasonable." The Amazon swiftly countered. "Here we are, in a completely different dimension than our own, with no foreseeable way of going home, and you want me to put myself in the friend zone? Give me one good reason why I should."

"Because regardless of what you think, Akane is Ranma's only fiancee and he needs to remain faithful to her." Kasumi stated.

Shampoo crossed her arms and looked undaunted. "The _only_ fiancee, is that it?" Kasumi nodded. "So in your eyes, I'm just pretending? Getting in your family's way?"

"I know you've got your reasons for pursuing Ranma, but my family had the first claim. You can't take that away from Akane."

"Thing is, I don't think Akane should be with Airen."

"Family honor says-"

Shampoo swiftly held up a hand, silencing the oldest Tendo daughter. "That's not what I meant. I know why your family is connected to Airen, I know the story. But that's not what I was talking about. I'm talking about love here."

Kasumi slightly frowned. "Well, in case you didn't know, Akane loves Ranma."

"Does she?" Shampoo asked, lowering her hand. "If Akane really loves Airen, then why does she hit him so often?"

"He's a martial artist, he can take a few hits. Besides, he does occasionally provoke her."

Shampoo snorted. "Has she ever hit you? Or Nabiki?"

Kasumi looked surprised to be asked that. "Of course not!"

"Why not?" Shampoo asked, leaning slightly forward. "You're telling me Nabiki has never provoked her? The one who takes private photos of her and sells them to any boy with a handful of yen? Why doesn't Akane ever hit her?"

"Because she-" Kasumi started, only to cut herself off.

Shampoo smirked a bit, but not in a nice way. "Because she loves Nabiki? Is that what you were going to say? Despite how annoying, how invasive, how 'provoking' Nabiki may be, Akane will never actually strike her own sister in anger? Not even once, let alone over and over again? Because Akane loves Nabiki?"

Kasumi could not bring herself to respond. She wanted to, but no words would come to her.

Glad for the opportunity, Shampoo continued. "This might surprise you Kasumi, but Airen is confused. He doesn't know who he loves. He doesn't know what will make him happy. He doesn't know what to do, and he's been surrounded by a lot of people that have been telling him what to do. The last thing he needs is for either of us to keep that up."

"But Ranma's not the kind of person that would just ignore family honor."

"Why not? Both your fathers are."

Kasumi blinked then frowned. "Take that back."

"No I won't, because it's true. I don't know what drugs you're all taking to think Genma Saotome is an honorable person, but there's a reason I don't call him Father-in-law."

"I admit he has many more than a few bad decisions in the past, but that doesn't make him a bad person."

"No, scarring his son's body and mind with a pit of cats makes him a bad person. Engaging his son to a second family just to steal from them makes him a bad person. Forcing his son to kill himself if his mom tells him to makes him a bad person. Where is Genma's honor Kasumi? Your family is the only one that says he has any to offer, so where is it? What do you see that we don't?"

"My father would not be friends with a criminal." Kasumi stated.

"Your father was trained by Happosai. He was trained _by_ a criminal. And are you saying the panda stealing from the pizza girl was _not_ a crime?"

"No it wasn't, the cart was given to Mr. Saotome." Kasumi justified.

Shampoo shook her head. "Under the condition that by accepting it Airen would become engaged to the pizza girl, therefore making the engagement to the Tendos null and void."

"It's not null and void." Kasumi countered.

"So then he stole from that family." Shampoo concluded. "Kasumi, you cannot have it both ways. Either the panda accepted a dowry and all that comes with it, thus breaking his promise to your father, or he stole the cart under false pretenses. No matter how you look at it, one or the other has to be true, and both mean the same thing: that Genma Saotome is a lying, cheating, honorless _criminal_!"

"There has to be some good in him. Father wouldn't honor a promise with a dishonorable man." Kasumi insisted.

The Chinese Amazon forced herself to not roll her eyes. "But like I was saying,_ both _men are honorless. Remember that issue you had with the French family? Where your father promised them one of his daughters in exchange for not paying a bill? Didn't he himself say that at the time he never expected to actually _have_ daughters in the future?"

"How could you possibly know all this?" The quiet housekeeper asked.

"I hear a lot from my customers, and Nabiki is willing to fill in the gaps for a price. But my point remains. Your father made this promise with no intention at the time of making good on it. _Exactly_ like when the panda robbed the pizza girl. And from what I can tell, I have reason to believe this all happened _before_ he made any deal with Airen's father. So you can't say the Tendo-Saotome agreement being first makes it mean anything, because it _wasn't_ the first."

Kasumi was speechless, and surprised that she couldn't fault the Amazon's logic.

"Fortunately, your father is not a bad person Kasumi. But he's already proven that if he has to, he's willing to cheat others just like his friend has. Neither one of them has any real honor to offer the other, at least not the kind that an engagement would need, so honor cannot be the reason it has to be kept. And that's not even getting into the real important part in all this."

Kasumi raised an eyebrow. "Then what's the real important part?"

"Airen's honor and happiness." Shampoo proclaimed. "Airen is the one most effected by all of this. He's the one that everyone is dumping all this pressure on, and so far very few have bothered taking the time to consider what he wants in all this."

"Like you?" Kasumi asked in a way that made it sound less accusing than it might have been meant to be.

Shampoo paused for a moment, frowning the whole time. "I have never tried to hurt Airen. Not since I learned he is a man at least. All I've ever done is try to get Airen to spend some time with me, be comfortable around me. Be less afraid of me. Are you saying you _want_ him to be afraid of me?"

"No, I want him to love Akane instead of you." Kasumi said bluntly.

Shampoo leaned in close again, putting little distance between her and the older woman. "Kasumi, since when has that been _your_ decision to make?"

"Okay, it may not be mine, but it's not yours either."

"So whose is it? Who gets to decide who Airen loves?"

"Fa-" Kasumi started, but stopped herself.

But she hadn't stopped herself soon enough. "Your father, is that what you were going to say?"

Kasumi looked a little ashamed of herself, but held her ground. "Not just him, but Mr and Mrs Saotome too. They are his parents after all, they're just looking out for him."

"Is your father his parent too?" Shampoo pressed. "Why does _he_ get power over Airen?"

"Family honor-"

"Don't give me that! Either one of those men would break the engagement if they thought it was better than keeping it! Don't say they wouldn't, because they already _have_ with others! And Airen's mother has threatened to kill him more than once! Does that sound like someone who wants him to be happy? Family honor is just an excuse at this point for you! It doesn't mean anything! So what is the real reason you want Airen to be with Akane? What is the real reason you believe the decision shouldn't be up to Airen?"

Kasumi gave no answer, looking like she didn't have one to give.

Shampoo leaned back, giving them space again. "Kasumi, maybe you should spend some time thinking for yourself instead of just thinking what your father tells you to think. Trust me, our elders don't always have our best interests in mind. Now, are you ready to go back to sleep?"

Kasumi nodded.

Shampoo turned and the two girls headed back to their camp, neither saying a word.

All of a sudden, Shampoo stopped and held her arm out, prompting Kasumi to stop too. "What's wrong?"

"You hear that?"

"I just hear the rain."

Shampoo kept listening. "It's... it's like a growl. Like a cat."

Knowing this girl would be the expert on cat sounds, Kasumi got ready and took up the waterbending stance Katara had taught her. Slowly, the two continued onward, but more aware of their surroundings.

'Now I can hear it.' Kasumi thought, hearing a growl along with something flickering.

All of a sudden Shampoo bent her arms inward with her fists pointing up then threw them over her head in an upward thrust, and the ground underneath both girls rose up like a pillar. Kasumi fell on her knees, and as she looked over the edge she saw what the Amazon was protecting them from. At the base, there was something that looked like a large lizard, but it had the face and feet of a mountain lion. The animal looked up, staring right at her, and it flicked a tongue just like a lizard would.

"Maybe it will go away if we just stay here." Kasumi suggested.

"I'm not waiting." Shampoo said before crouching down and grabbing Kasumi's arms, positioning them so they would hold onto her from behind.

"What are you-?" Before she could finish, Shampoo lept away from the pillar not unlike when she would roof-hop back in Nerima. Kasumi only managed to hang on thanks to a quick burst of adrenaline. They landed within eyesight of the lizard-lion and Kasumi dismounted, allowing both girls to dash for the camp.

The two came to a stop when they saw the dome, and two more lizard-lions sniffing around it.

"What are they trying to find in the rain?" Shampoo asked quietly.

"Well there is one animal in this world with a _very_ good sense of smell. Maybe these ones have better than normal noses too." Kasumi suggested, remembering a large weasel-like animal whose name eluded her at the present. Something starting with an S.

A snarl from behind snapped them out of it and both darted to the sides away from each other, resulting in the original lizard-lion missing them in its pounce. It skidded on its feet across the ground, alerting the others of its kind to its presence, and the presence of the two girls.

The three lizard-lions grouped together and stared down the girls, revealing lizard frills in place of lion manes, growling like cats while flicking their reptilian tongues.

"I didn't bring my weapons with me." Shampoo whispered, taking a stance. "Looks like we have to bend our way out of this one. You think you can do it?"

Kasumi trembled a bit, not ready for a confrontation like this. She was no longer a martial artist, only a novice bender, and her hands while better would still cause her pain in used strenuously. But as she saw the puddles on the muddy ground with rain still falling into them, she recalled the sandbenders taking Appa away while she could do little more than defend herself.

She took a waterbending stance that closely resembled a tai chi one, though it was still shaky. "I'm a little scared, but at least I'm not helpless this time."

One of the lizard-lions pounced, and Shampoo was the first to react. She pulled back both arms then thrust the right one forward with the palm facing out. A rock jagged out of the ground at an upward angle hitting the animal square in the throat, halting it and making it collapse and dry heave painfully.

Another one pounced at Kasumi, who clapped her hands together then pointed her hands upwards like she was praying. Two puddles burst like little geysers and hit the lizard-lion in the belly. This was like a punch to the gut, but it only made the lizard-lion stop for a moment. It would attack again if Kasumi did not do more.

'What can I do? All I've really learned is moving water. I can't make a whip like Katara or...' She thought, then got an idea. 'It's my one chance. I just hope I can make it work.'

Having no clue if this would work, Kasumi separated her hands and looked at the puddles the lizard-lion was standing in. She made two fists and crossed her arms, mostly willing the water to respond to her thoughts rather than her body. She was incredibly relieved to see the water turn to ice, freezing around the animals feet.

'It actually worked.' She thought, proud of herself for accomplishing this mostly through luck.

Then the lizard-lion broke free of the thin ice and shook its feet to warm them, and Kasumi got nervous again. She didn't know what she could do that she hadn't already done.

The third animal went for Shampoo like the first one had, and she jumped back. Upon landing she repeated the earthbending maneuver, not knowing that many to use, and sent another rock at the creature. This time it pivoted enough to dodge, though the frill was cut on the side. It ran to her, and rather than earthbend she punched it as hard as she usually does to shatter walls.

As most biologists would tell you, an animal isn't as strong as a wall and so its skeleton shattered and internal organs were torn open. Skin ripped and blood gushed out.

Kasumi gasped to see this, and the other lizard-lions looked just as shocked. Shampoo stepped forward and shook her hand to get some spilled blood off it, while giving the creatures steel eyes. The remaining lizard-lions slowly backed away, putting down their frills, and then ran off away from the girls and the dome.

"There, glad that's over." Shampoo muttered.

"You just killed that poor creature." Kasumi said, aghast.

"Are you freaking kidding me? What do you think _they_ were trying to do to _us_? Give us makeovers?"

"You didn't have to kill it." Kasumi insisted.

Shampoo sighed and put a hand on her forehead. "Kasumi, I do _not_ want to get into another debate with you right now. It's done, it's dead, we're still alive, and I'm tired. Now you can either accept this and get back to sleep like me, or you can be unhappy and get back to sleep anyway. Okay?"

Kasumi sighed too and nodded. As sad and shocked as she was to see something die right in front of her, she had to admit it wasn't the worst thing that could have happened. Besides, Shampoo was trained like Ranma and this most likely wasn't the first time she had to protect herself from a vicious animal. Though if Shampoo could have done that to a living being in Nerima this whole time yet never did, then clearly the young Amazon had a lot more skill than people gave her credit for.

Shampoo earthbended a way back into the dome and the two went inside, quietly enough to not wake anyone. Kasumi tried a minor bit of waterbending to dry them both off, then the two laid down and practically passed out back into sleep.

* * *

Travel for the group resumed the next day, and most of it that day and the one after Kasumi had remained silent. This normally was not that noticeable back in Nerima, but here she had been a contributing part of the group and willing to speak up since she was aware of things. However she was back to her usual 'stay in the background' behavior, and it was kind of weird.

"Someone's up ahead." Toph warned. "I think they're just normal people."

Up ahead everyone could see three people come into view. The one in the middle must have seen them, for they raised their arm and waved.

"Might as well say hi to them." Katara suggested, waving back to be polite. The group continued forward, and the three people became more visible than vague silhouettes. There was a bearded man in a sleeveless green shirt and a pack upon his back, a pregnant woman in a green dress, and a younger looking girl with two braids wearing a green shirt and yellow skirt.

"Hello there fellow refugees." The man greeted.

"We're not refugees." Ranma clarified.

"Oh, are you not heading for Ba Sing Se?" The man asked.

"Well we are, but not as refugees. We have important news for the Earth King." Sokka explained.

"Important news?" The pregnant woman repeated, and Sokka nodded.

"So you're heading to Ba Sing Se to find a new home?" Aang asked.

"I don't think refugees would go there for a vacation Aang." Ranma commented.

"Yes, our last home was nearly destroyed by Fire Nation soldiers. We wouldn't be able to rebuild before our child is born, so Ba Sing Se is our last hope." The man said, putting a hand on his wife's enlarged belly and gently rubbing it along with her. "Oh pardon me, my name is Than and this is my wife Ying and my sister Saki."

"Well we're close to the Serpent's Pass, so we're almost there." Katara told them.

The three refugees jumped a little bit in place. "The Serpent's Pass? Only the truly desperate take that deadly route." Ying told them.

"What's so deadly about it?" Ranma asked.

"The great serpent." Than answered.

"Why do you think it's called the Serpent's Pass?" Saki asked.

"To be honest, we thought it was just a name." Aang admitted.

"It's not. It's a dangerous place where a giant serpent can attack you at any moment. You'd have to be an army or the Avatar to get through there safe."

Aang smiled. "Then we're in luck, because I am the Avatar."

"Hold on Aang." Katara said. "How were you guys intending to get to Ba Sing Se without taking the pass?"

"We're heading for Full Moon Bay. They have ferries that take refugees to the village across the safe parts of the sea." Than explained.

"That sure sounds better than fending off a giant serpent." Kasumi noted, remembering the episode with the unagi and figuring this would have been similar.

"I'm sure we could fend off a giant snake no problem." Ranma commented, and got a few surprised looks for it. "Not saying we have to. If we can take a boat instead then sure I'm all for it. Just saying I'm not afraid to try the hard way if we have to."

"Alright then, which way to Full Moon Bay?" Sokka asked.


End file.
